Could it happen again?
by Altaira
Summary: Chapter 31 up! Please r n r! Being a twice blessed Halliwell means that many demons are after Chris mainly Barbas, whose latest plan might be one that will finish Chris off for good!
1. Remember

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

This is set in the new timeline that Chris managed to change successfully!

* * *

Chris walked confidently into the manor. He was thirteen and the son of a Charmed One. His powers were growing by the day, since his father had been an elder when he was conceived and his Mother, Piper was the eldest charmed one. Sure, he still wasn't as powerful as Wyatt in some ways, but even Wyatt hadn't inherited the Elder's lightning powers, and Chris was way better at telekinesis. Besides, Wyatt was the best big brother anyone could ask for. Wyatt was always there for him. 

He caught his Aunts and his Mum on the stairway.

"Where's everyone else?" Chris asked, wiping a lock of brown hair out of his face.

"Your Father and Uncles are out shopping with your cousins honey." Phoebe said.

"I think you know where Wyatt is." Piper smiled at him.

Chris smiled back. He could always sense his brother. And the fact that Wyatt was in his room listening to loud rock music and singing rather badly made it a lot easier to see where he was.

Piper squeezed Chris on the shoulder affectionately. "We're just going up into the attic. We think that we might have forgotten something important, and we suspect that the cleaners might have something to do with it."

"Okay Mum." He replied. "I'll just read a book in the lounge then. Good luck."

"Thanks peanut." Piper said affectionately.

"Muuum. Do you have to call me that?" He whined, secretly pleased.

Piper smiled, knowing full well that her son liked it.

Chris went downstairs, pulling the book out of his rucksack and settled down on the sofa, immersing himself in his book.

* * *

_**In the attic…**_

Piper, Phoebe and Paige, the Power of Three, began to read the spell that they had needed years ago when the cleaners erased their memory of Wyatt. With the confidence brought by many years of spell reading, they chanted:

_**Moments lost make witches wonder,**_

_**Warlock's plot or demon's plunder?**_

_**If this is not a prank,**_

_**Help us fill in the blanks.**_

The sisters waited for a while to see if anything would happen.

Piper tucked her long brown hair behind her ear. "That didn't work, did it?"

Phoebe nodded. "Nope."

Paige put her hands on her hips. "Peachy. Just peachy."

And_** that** was _when they heard Chris give out a blood-curdling scream.

* * *

_**In the lounge…**_

Chris smiled when he heard his Mum and his Aunts reading the spell all the way from the attic. He had been told about Wyatt and the cleaners many times.

Then it hit him in flashes. He couldn't breathe they came so fast.

**_Leo, not _his_ Dad, ignoring him…_**

_**Wyatt using magic for personal gain… **_

_**His family… dying… **_

_**Holding his dying Mother in his arms… Not being able to heal her…**_

…**_Leo not answering his pleas for help…_**

_**His Grandfather taking him in…**_

_**Wyatt turning evil…**_

_Tears ran down Chris' cheeks as he took all this in._

_**Proposing to Bianca…**_

_**Coming to the past… To save Wyatt…**_

_**Leo being suspicious of him…**_

_**Bianca betraying him… then dying to save him from his own brother…**_

_**Back again…**_

_**His OWN family, kicking him out of the manor**_

_**His Aunt Phoebe guessing who he was…**_

_**Almost not being conceived… fading…**_

_**Stepping in front of an athame meant for his older brother, still only two years old…**_

_**Dying…**_

_**Being reborn… Suppressed memories…**_

_**HIS PARENTS NEVER TELLING HIM!**_

Chris was jolted out of his memories, sobbing. Annoyed. Angry. In pain. He found himself with two sets of memories, one set going on much further than his thirteen years. He shook his head, not wanting to believe that his brother Wyatt had done all that. That his father had abandoned him in his other life. He knew deep inside that it was real. But nothing prepared him for it. He shut his eyes, trying desperately to block out the bad memories, unable to cope.

A darklighter dark orbed in front of him. Silently. Stealthily. He pulled the trigger and the arrow went whooshing towards the young teenager sobbing in front of him unaware of his surroundings.

Chris screamed in pain as the arrow pierced him in the shoulder. He clasped the arrow, hissing in pain as the poison seeped into his hand. He couldn't get it out. The poison was being pumped around his body by his own heart, betraying him. He was in excruciating pain. And there was no escape.

Burning…Hot white poison.

Darkness started to engulf him, and he fought it. Both versions of him were fighters. Vaguely, he remembered being in this position many times before. This pain was nothing new. Nothing compared to the pain of losing his Mother and his brother turning evil.

He tried to telekinetically throw the Darklighter across the room. But all it served was to bring him more pain.

He felt the Darklighter grab him under the arms and dark orb him out of the manor.

Chris cursed, knowing from his other life's experience of Darklighters that he was running out of time. He hoped his family could find him in time.

* * *

Wyatt was the first down. The loud music emanating from his room stopped abruptly and he orbed down to help his little brother.

He didn't like what he saw. A darklighter was holding Chris under the arms. Chris was painfully pale and his face was twisted in agony at the arrow embedded in his shoulder.

The Darklighter dark orbed out with his little brother.

"NO!" Wyatt cried, summoning Excalibur to him with all his might. He sensed his family in town and orbed them to him as his Mum and Aunts orbed in with Paige's help.

Leo walked towards his twice blessed son, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Wyatt turned to him grimly, blue eyes intense with worry. "Chris has been shot by a Darklighter and kidnapped. It must be someone powerful, as they are blocking my sensing power. And they kidnapped him under my nose." He kicked the sofa in frustration, his heart twisting at his brother's blood marking it. "How could I let this happen?"

His Aunt Phoebe squeezed his arm gently. "Blaming yourself won't bring back Chris."

Wyatt nodded, suddenly determined. "You're right. I summoned you here so you can help me sense for Chris. I might not be able to sense for Chris by myself, but with your help, even Jason, I might be able to gather enough energy to sense for him."

His cousins, Aunts, Uncles and his parents nodded resolutely.

Wyatt gathered his energy, and added it to his family's. The power was formidable, including the Charmed Ones' power and their children's. Even though his cousins weren't any older than ten years old, their power was still great.

Wyatt smiled, finally able to sense his brother. He orbed the whole family there.

* * *

Chris lay in a dark cave, cold wet water steadily dripping on his face. The Darklighter had left him there and dark orbed out. The water did nothing to stop the burning of the poison inside. Slowly, his life began to ebb with the steady dripping, his energy fading in waves of pain, until it became a dull throb. He was faintly aware that he was in trouble. He closed his eyes to rest. For just a little while. His limbs relaxed as his body began to shut down.

Wyatt orbed into a dark cave, gasping when he saw the state of his little brother. He was so pale he was almost white, and his lips were turning blue. He ran to his side, not daring to breathe, as the rest of his family held back in shock.

Wyatt squeezed Chris' hand gently. It was slack, cold as ice, and his brother was not moving. His Aunt Phoebe came to Chris' other side and pulled the arrow out of her nephew. He didn't even murmur. His small frame seemed deflated. Shrunk. Wyatt tried healing him, but no golden glow emitted from his hands. Desperate, he started mortal methods, trying to find a pulse. He couldn't find one. Piper and Leo held each other, tears falling down their cheeks.


	2. Coping

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

2

Wyatt yelled in anger and frustration as his powers weren't causing any response in Chris, who lay as pale and still as before. This had never happened to him before. He had **always** arrived on time.

The rest of the family rushed forward to help out. Wyatt snapped out of his frustration. He had to save his little brother. He was only thirteen for God's sake. "ANYONE with whitelighter blood help me!"

Paige and Leo, who had been given back his wings, rushed forward to help, as well as Paige's sons Matt and Sam. Phoebe, Piper, Richard, Jason and Phoebe and Jason's daughters Melissa and Prue held back helplessly at the back of the cave, not having any healing powers.

The collective glow was so bright it was almost blinding. But wasn't enough.

Wyatt grew desperate. "I need more energy!" The people standing at the back of the cave nodded their consent immediately, and instantly felt their energy being sapped in large amounts as Wyatt struggled to heal his brother.

The light emitting from the whitelighters hands lit up the entire cave and Chris began to glow from within.

Slowly, his arrow wound began to close, healing along with the poison burn mark on his hand where he had tried to pull the arrow out.

He sat up groaning and very disorientated.

Wyatt hugged him, managing to even beat Phoebe to him. Chris found it hard to breathe.

Then his memories caught up with him.

Wyatt stepped back from Chris wondering why he wasn't returning the hug. "What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

He moved towards Chris who recoiled in panic, to the back of the cave, being confused by the memories of his other life where Wyatt was always messing with his mind trying to get him to join him.

Wyatt's face showed he was hurt. He reached again for Chris.

"G-GET A-AWAY FROM ME!" He yelled, orbing out.

Wyatt turned to his parents in his confusion. Piper and Leo shook their heads, not understanding why their son would act like this.

Piper tried to come up with an idea. "Maybe he's so scared after being shot that he mistook you for the darklighter." She turned to Phoebe. "What did you get from him?"

Phoebe turned to her big sister reassuringly. "All I felt from him was fear and confusion. He was so scared." She shuddered still feeling the effects of reading her nephew.

Wyatt calmed down a little. He tried sensing for his brother, and his panic flared up again. "I can't sense him!" He exclaimed.

Piper shushed him. "Then let's scry for him. It's far more powerful as we have something of him to use."

* * *

Chris was sitting on San Francisco Bridge, suddenly aware that was his favourite spot to think. He knew why. It was so peaceful up here. He was blocking his family from sensing him. He knew how now.

He was cursing himself. He had been so mixed up with his other life that he had rejected his brother and his family. He remembered his brother's face. He was so hurt.

He decided that his family could never know that he knew his other life. It would hurt Wyatt far too much to know that he had been evil in his other life. And it would hurt his family to know about The Event. How could he let them live with the knowledge that in the other life he was the only one other than Wyatt who was still alive.

But he couldn't cope with these memories. Being 13 and trying to cope with a 22 year old's memory wasn't going to be easy. At all.

Then he remembered. He was a witch.

He thought really hard for a few moments and came up with a spell that sounded good enough to him.

_All these new memories, I cannot cope_

_Help my painful suffering end_

_Where there is despair, give me hope,_

_A way to deal with the memories send_

Chris sighed blissfully as he was able to cope. He knew it was cheating, but it was for his family.

His family! Chris sat up in shock. He had forgotten that he had just left them in the cave.

He orbed to the attic in a hurry, sensing his family there.

* * *

He saw his brother in the corner while his Mum was scrying. His Dad was standing, obviously trying to sense him.

Chris realised he had forgotten to stop blocking his signature. He did so.

"I've found him!" Leo called.

Piper asked. "Where!"

"Here." Leo said confused.

Chris ran over to his brother Wyatt, giving him a huge hug.

Wyatt hugged him back. "What was up with you back there?"

Chris let the lie flow easily from his lips. "Nothing. I was just confused after being shot. Thanks for healing me!"

"It was the whole family's help that did it." Wyatt said nobly.

"Wow. I was that… gone?"

Piper didn't want to have her youngest son think about nearly dying. "Would you like some cookies?" She interjected. "And we need to get the rest of the family to stop making that potion to find you."

Leo remembered something important. "Were you blocking us?"

Chris decided to feign surprise. "How could I do that? I mean when I was scared I didn't want anyone to find me…"

Leo nodded, satisfied. "It's probably triggered by fear for you. You must have accidentally blocked us."

Chris hugged his Dad and ran down to get some cookies.

Then he remembered. The Event! His 14th birthday was only a month away.


	3. The Event

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

3

Despite the spell that Chris had cast to help him deal with the memories from his other life, his heart was filled with dread at the thought of the Event. He couldn't bring himself to call it anything else. It was on his 14th birthday when they attacked…and killed most of his family…the ones who had actually bothered to turn up to his birthday dinner that is…

"_Happy Birthday to you..." They all sang._

_Chris cheerily blew out the candles._

"_Make a wish, little bro." said Wyatt._

_Chris didn't even bother to make the wish he had made most of his life. He knew that his Dad wasn't ever going to turn up on his birthday, just a few weeks after with another lame excuse. Despite the fact that he always turned up to Wyatt's football games, let alone his birthday. _

_Instead he wished for good presents. At least that wish couldn't back fire on him. _

_His Aunts, Uncles and cousins cheered as Piper took a photo._

_An insect buzzed around the table, and Wyatt waved it aside._

"_It bit me!" He exclaimed as he hit it with the fly swat, crushing it. "Gotcha!" He looked at the others sheepishly. "Sorry. Go on with the presents."_

_Chris unwrapped the one from his Aunt Paige first. It was a leather bound potions book. He opened it to find that it already had potion recipes in it already. "It's an old potions book. I bought it from the Magic School library. Being Headmistress has its benefits. It's one of a kind." His Aunt Paige said as she kissed him on the cheek._

"_Thanks! I can't wait to try it and…" Chris was interrupted by Wyatt toppling backwards off his chair and landing slumped on the floor. "WYATT!" He yelled._

_Piper ran over to Wyatt, trying to revive him. _

"_What happened?" Paige's son Matt asked._

"_He just toppled over." said Jason, who had been sitting next to Wyatt._

_Several demons shimmered in._

"_NOT ON CHRIS' BIRTHDAY! DO YOU HEAR ME?" Piper bellowed, raising her hands to blow the nearest one up. It knocked the demon backwards into the wall, but didn't blow him up._

"_Damn it! They're upper level demons!" Paige called as she orbed the vase crashing onto one demon's head._

_Chris swung his arm, causing a demon to go flying and hit with another on its way to the wall. _

_Phoebe levitated away from an athame, impaling another demon instead of her._

_Piper called to the children. "Get out of here! Take Wyatt with you!"_

_Paige's sons Matt and Sam linked hands with Phoebe's children Melissa and Prue who had managed to get to Wyatt, and they orbed out to P3, the agreed meeting place if there was trouble in the manor._

_Chris stayed, TK-ing another demon who skidded across the floor. _

"_Chris! I thought I told you to leave!" Piper called furiously._

_Chris replied by TK-ing his birthday cake into a demon's face._

"_Hey! I baked that!" She said annoyed._

"_I'm sure it would have tasted very nice, honey." Phoebe called from the ceiling, falling down to impale a demon with her stiletto shoes._

_Jason had managed to get some potions from the attic and with the help of Richard, began throwing them at the demons, causing a couple to incinerate._

_More demons shimmered in. Chris orbed away from an energy ball._

"_MORE!" Piper roared with rage. "CAN'T THIS FAMILY HAVE **ONE** NORMAL DAY?"_

_Phoebe channelled an energy ball back to its owner, causing him to fly backwards._

"_Chris! What are you still doing here? GET OUT!" Piper growled as Chris' birthday presents slid off the table onto the floor with a crash._

_One of the potions Jason and Richard were throwing hit Chris, smoke rose, but nothing happened._

"_Ow! Guys! Would you mind to watch where you're aiming…" he complained, TK-ing another demon away from him._

"_Sorry." Richard and Jason said simultaneously._

"_If you weren't here it wouldn't have hit you." Piper scolded._

"_Okay," he whinged. "I'll go then." Chris tried orbing, but came back down with a crash. He saw the label that had fallen off the potion bottle. 'TO BIND THE POWER OF ORBING.' "Uh oh…" In this family, it paid to have a potion to block orbing in case one of them with whitelighter blood was under a spell or possessed or something. Except it was the last thing Chris needed now._

"_Uh oh what?" Piper asked dangerously, her temper rising so much that she managed to blow up three demons._

"_That potion bound my orbing powers." He explained, ducking a fireball._

"_You are so in trouble mister…" Piper yelled. _

"_**I **didn't throw the potion. Besides it's **my** birthday. I figured I deserved a shot at the demons that wrecked my party and hurt Wy."_

_Piper growled as more demons shimmered in, including darklighters._

"_DARKLIGHTERS!" She exclaimed. "Paige! Look out!" She groaned as Paige turned at the wrong minute and got an arrow to the back._

_Meanwhile, Richard and Jason had exhausted their supply of potions. They found themselves cornered by several grinning demons._

"_I've got to get to Paige!" Richard called. "If only I still had my active powers!"_

_Chris ran over to their corner, TK-ing a path for Richard to get through, and ran back to his Mum, who was having trouble with a particularly large demon, leaving Phoebe to deal with the demons still around Jason._

_A scream from his Aunt Phoebe made him turn round. "JASON!" She yelled as her husband took an athame to the chest. On the other side of the room, Richard had pulled the arrow out of Paige only to receive an arrow right through the heart, killing him instantly. Paige sobbed with anguish as a demon stood over her. _

"_LEO! GET THAT PACIFIST ASS DOWN HERE **RIGHT NOW**!" Piper howled._

_He didn't come. And Paige didn't have a chance to defend herself. She died under Richard's body in a pool of their blood._

_Chris started crying, knowing he had lost an Aunt and an Uncle, and another Uncle was breathing heavily in the corner as his Aunt Phoebe was trying to stem the blood, channelling powers furiously. He couldn't heal them. Leo had never taught him how. He was lost without Wyatt._

_He watched helplessly as his Aunt Phoebe was overpowered. He didn't dare look, focussing on helping his Mum._

_The Charmed Ones were no match for this many demons. Not even the eldest. There were too many demons for Piper to blow up, many of them upper level. This was a collective strike._

_Piper screamed as several energy balls hit her in the chest before she could freeze them, knocking her to the floor._

_Most of the demons, satisfied, shimmered out, leaving one behind._

_One behind to hit Chris in the back with an energy ball._

"_Happy Birthday. Not that you're worth the energy to kill." He sneered, shimmering out._

_Chris crawled painfully over to his Mum._

"_Chris…?" She croaked._

"_Hang on Mum. Dad'll come. He has to." He looked at the ceiling. "DAD!" He yelled._

_No-one came._

"_H-He's in a m-meeting. He c-can't come."_

"_I love you son." She said forcefully. "This isn't your fault."_

"_MUM!" He screamed in terror._

"_Love you peanut." Then she died._

_Chris rocked back and forth over her body, in denial. Sobbing. Hardly noticing the blood falling down his back._

_Wyatt orbed in. Chris didn't notice him._

_Wyatt walked amongst his dead family, disbelieving. He had woken up too late. He couldn't save them._

_He ran over to his brother and healed him. "What happened?" He asked._

_Chris continued rocking back and forth. He was like an empty shell. Wyatt used his telepathy to find out what happened instead. He was furious. He orbed his brother to P3 and without explanation, orbed down to the underworld…_

_

* * *

_

Chris shuddered at the memory. The whole event had made Wyatt flip. Turn Evil. It was the last straw. Although Gideon had started the process, the Event was what finally turned him. The Wyatt that returned from the Underworld wasn't the same person.

Chris wouldn't let that happen. Never. He pondered the Event while he flicked through the Book of Shadows.

How could he stop it happening again?

He ran it through his head again and again. How had they managed to get Wyatt out of the action?

Then the obvious occurred to him. The insect. Wyatt would never suspect something so small. He wouldn't put his shield up for an insect. It must have knocked him out of commission when it bit him. Without his help, the family couldn't survive that many demons attacking. Especially when his cousins were made to orb out. They could have easily helped. Even a ten year Charmed One would be a force to be reckoned with.

He had to make sure that Wyatt didn't get bitten. His Dad would be at his birthday this time, but he wouldn't be enough to swing the tide. If Wyatt got bitten all could be lost. He might not turn evil this time, but losing his Mum would hurt even more for Chris the second time.

_No-one has to lose their family once, let alone twice._

Chris had to stop that insect, even if he had to get bitten on his birthday. The harder thing would be alerting his family without letting them know that he knew everything from his other timeline.

_But I have to do it. For everyone. I can't live that all other again._


	4. Changes

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

4

Chris woke up from a particularly nasty nightmare where all his family were dying to leap up face to face with Wyatt who was bouncing up and down on his bed. It struck him as amusing to think of the other Wyatt even thinking of doing such a thing. He smiled.

"Happy Birthday lil' bro!" Wyatt called thrusting his present to Chris at him. "I couldn't wait to give you it!"

Chris smiled happily. In his other life he never even got to see what his present was from Wyatt. He pulled the wrappings off hastily to reveal a new CD. He hugged his brother. "Thanks Wy. I was beginning to worry that all my hinting was for nothing." Chris decided to enjoy the morning while he could. The attack would be coming lunchtime. He shuddered inwardly, while keeping a smile plastered on his face.

He orbed downstairs, still in his pyjamas to meet his Mother's un-amused expression.

"I know, I know. _Personal gain_."

"No. Not personal gain. You Aunt orbs everywhere all the time. Now orb upstairs and get dressed. You nearly spoilt the surprise for breakfast."

Chris decided to take advantage of the fact that his Mum was letting him orb when he liked now.

While he was getting dressed he hugged himself with pleasure. His Dad would be here this time. Maybe everything would be alright.

He decided to walk downstairs this time to alert his family that he was coming. Besides, Aunt Phoebe would be in trouble if he revealed that she had already told him what was coming. He grinned as he walked into the dining room and saw the large pile of presents. He wouldn't be allowed to open them until later as usual, but he could amuse himself by guessing what he had. He wondered if his Aunt Paige had gotten him the potion book this time. Looking at the pile, she had.

"**SURPRISE**!" Everyone yelled.

Chris acted shocked and pretended to be amazed by the balloons and streamers. And the pancakes. His favourite! His Granddad Victor had managed to make it. Chris realised that he knew and was trying to keep a brave face for him. Looking around the family, all the grown-ups were aware that this was Piper's last day in the other timeline. All of them had brave faces on. Chris decided to ignore it. His plan would have to work anyway. And there were more people here to deal with the demons this time round. As long as Wyatt stayed in the action. His force field would be a great help. And he had boosted the potions in the cupboard on the sly. He just made sure there weren't any potions that could block orbing.

He focused on keeping his secret safe. And with Wyatt around, that was no problem. He was one infectious hyper happy teenager. Totally different to the other Wyatt, even now.

Just as well everyone in his family had taken the anti-empathy potion. There was no way he could have kept it safe from Aunt Phoebe; it was hard enough without an empath.

He beamed as he looked at everyone, especially his Dad. "Thanks! I love pancakes!"

Piper smiled as she hugged him. "Tuck in honey. I even made you some chocolate sauce."

"For breakfast!"

Everyone laughed.

"Yes you can have chocolate for breakfast peanut."

He sat down and proceeded to pour an enormous dollop of chocolate sauce all over his pancakes, causing everyone to laugh again.

* * *

Despite how hard Chris tried to slow time, it was soon dinnertime.

"…Happy Birthday to you!"

He sat down in front of his family at the table, ready to blow out his candles.

"Make a wish, little bro." said Wyatt.

The insect came buzzing towards Wyatt.

Chris knocked over his chair to reach the insect first, startling the rest of his family.

It bit him just before he squashed it.

"Damn." He cursed.

"Chris?" Piper asked apprehensively.

Chris decided to throw caution to the wind. "Don't make everyone orb out. You can use Wyatt's and my cousin's help. There's going to be a lot of demons coming. Just get Granddad out."

Piper looked worriedly at him. "Peanut…"

"Look. That insect was magical. It bit me, okay? It was after Wy. And Mum?"

"Yes?"

"I love you…"

Chris couldn't hold the magic off any longer. He collapsed, hitting the ground with a thud.

Wyatt ran to him. "Chris!" He shook him frantically. "Chris! Wake up!"

Chris didn't respond, just lay there limply.

Leo orbed Victor out then came back in quickly as the first demon shimmered in.

Wyatt threw up his force field. "How did Chris know?"

Piper looked worriedly at her husband and sisters. "I don't know."

The demons looked shocked as they met Wyatt's force field.

"He's supposed to be out of the action!" One yelled.

"Yeah? Well I'm not." Wyatt retorted as he summoned Excalibur.

He dropped his force field to let him and his family fight.

Piper began blowing demons up furiously. They had ruined her son's birthday and they weren't going to get away with it.

Paige and her sons began orbing objects at the demons as more shimmered in and Phoebe began channelling their attacks back furiously. The other cousins were hitting demons too.

The demons were hit with the entire combined force of the Halliwells. Especially Wyatt. The room was continually flashing with the intensity of his blue energy balls glinting off Excalibur which became like an extra arm it was being wielded so fast. No-one hurt his little brother.

When the darklighters dark orbed in they were blown up by Piper before they had a chance to load their crossbows. All but one. One of the arrows hit Wyatt.

Phoebe ran over to her nephew and pulled the arrow out of his arm as he grimaced in pain on the floor. Leo orbed over and healed him immediately, turning to throw a demon into the wall.

Jason and Richard were throwing potions till their arms ached. There seemed to be a lot more potions in stock than usual.

The demon attacks soon stopped, to the disappointment of Chris's cousins who weren't allowed to vanquish demons often.

By some miracle, Chris's birthday presents were intact. Unfortunately, the cake wasn't. Paige's son Matt had orbed the cake onto a demon's head, causing his hair to ignite with the flaming candles. The rest of the room was a state. Burn holes were all over the wall. Wyatt grinned sheepishly, having caused the majority of it all.

Piper looked fit to burst, she was so angry. "Stuff personal gain!" She paused for a moment to think up some words to rhyme.

_**This will take ages for us to tidy up this atrocious mess**_

_**So right the room and save us from this unpleasantness**_

The room tided to its rightful state. Piper looked smug as she realised it had worked.

Chris still lay on the floor unconscious. He wasn't the twice-blessed, so the spell on the insect had more of an effect.

Piper and Leo walked over to him.

Piper looked at Leo. "How did he know?"


	5. Telling the Truth

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

5

Chris opened his eyes with a groan. Whatever the insect had used to knock him out was giving him a major headache. His eyes opened blurrily to see two Mums and Dads looking at him worriedly.

Leo realised his son was in pain and placed his hands over his head, and Chris was delighted to see the two versions of him snap into one and his headache disappear.

Then it clicked. His Mum was alive! His plan had worked! He leapt up ready to give her the biggest hug of his life when he noticed the expression on her face. She wanted answers.

Piper looked at her son, concerned. "How did you know that the demons were going to attack?"

Chris was unsure of how to answer. "Uh…I had a premonition."

Piper wasn't convinced. "That detailed? I sense that you had been planning against it for a while, the potions stock more than doubled and you were always looking at the Book of Shadows. Premonitions very rarely let you see that far into the future." Piper wanted reassurance that her theory wasn't true.

Chris didn't answer, instead he started to orb out. Piper grabbed the trail and pulled him back down to Earth.

"You asked for it mister. I know you're not telling the truth. Now spill or I'll force a truth spell on you."

Chris remained silent.

_For those who want the truth revealed,  
Opened hearts and secrets unsealed,  
From now until its now again  
After which the memory ends.  
Those who now are in this house  
Will hear the truth from others mouths._

"Now. How did you know?"

Chris looked incensed that she had actually done it. He managed to fight the spell for a few seconds. But the spell forced the words from his mouth. "I remember." He said simply, resigned. The adults in the manor looked shocked. They knew full well what he meant.

Wyatt looked at him. "Remember what?" He asked, voicing the question all the other Halliwells in the house wanted to know. Piper winced.

Chris pressed his lips firmly together, fighting the spell for all his worth. He didn't want Wyatt to know what his other life had been like. But it had been cast by his Mum, the eldest Charmed One, and she had put a lot of power into the spell. His eyes glazed over as the spell took over.

"That you were evil."

Wyatt backed away from him, not wanting to believe. Chris grabbed for his arm, trying to comfort his older brother.

Wyatt was thrown into a memory.

"_It's all about power. Why can't you see that?"_

_Chris refused to answer from his position of being telekinetically choked._

"_Join me." _

"_NEVER!" He shouted, despite losing air._

_Wyatt tossed him across the room, causing him to hit the wall with a loud crack, and slide down unconscious._

Wyatt winced at the sound from the memory.

Chris knew what he had seen. "It wasn't you. I came back to the past to change that future. To change you. You're not evil. You never really were. Gideon changed you when you were a baby. You were confused. And you know that's the truth because this stupid spell is on me. I love you. I loved you then. Nothing has changed that."

"But I hurt you." Wyatt whimpered.

"Yes. But the memory stopped before it showed you healing me. You could never kill me." He pulled his brother into a hug.

Leo looked at his sons, his heart breaking. "Then… then you knew…"

"Yes. And it wasn't your fault." Chris said quite calmly.

Piper looked at his reaction suspiciously, her Mother's instincts telling her something.

"It happened when we said that memory spell, and then you were shot by the darklighter, didn't it."

"Yes. But…"

"You disappeared from the cave really distressed… and came back totally calm."

Chris realised where this was heading. "Mum. Can I open my presents now?" He asked in a half-attempt to change the subject.

"You did a spell to cope didn't you?"

Chris suspected she already knew the answer. "Yes." He suddenly found some wrapping paper very interesting.

"It's your birthday. But you can take the spell off tomorrow."

"Mum…"

"No buts. A spell like that has always backfired in the past."

Chris groaned. "Fine. Can I open my presents now?"

"Yes peanut." She replied, knowing that he was telling the truth, and relieved that she would be alive to see him grow up.

Chris was very happy when the first present he unwrapped was a potions book. But not so impressed when the truth spell made his cousin Melissa reveal she bought his present from a bargain bin, spending the rest on sweets.

Wyatt put on a brave face for his brother. Inside, he was tearing apart.

* * *

Chris managed to avoid his family almost all the next day. He had left the explaining to his aunts. Wyatt had been forbidden to do any spells to try and find out more, in case he turned evil. He was in his room, still trying to cope.

But his plans backfired when he snuck into the manor kitchen to get some food from the fridge. He was really hungry.

He shut the fridge door after pulling out a chocolate bar.

And turned to face his Mum.

"Well I give you credit for avoiding us this long. But betrayed by your own stomach…"

Chris groaned as his stomach grumbled.

"I'll undo the spell I think." She said, tapping her foot.

Chris tried to brace himself.

_I call upon the spirits to undo the spell Chris cast _

_Its repressing effects should not be allowed to last_

Chris screamed in pain as all the emotions the spell had been suppressing came back full force. He orbed to his room before Piper could stop him. She couldn't help wondering if she had done the right thing when Leo and Phoebe orbed in, Phoebe looking very pale.

"You undid the spell then."

"How did you know?"

"Every empath in San Francisco can feel his pain, Piper. Even through all the potions he has taken." Phoebe explained tiredly as the house started shaking as Chris' emotions started to affect his magic. Pictures began falling off the walls.

Wyatt orbed downstairs to his parents to see what all the commotion was about.

The adults turned to him. "It's Chris. We'd better leave him to calm down."

There was a loud shrieking from upstairs and the shaking of the house stopped abruptly.

The Halliwells in the house orbed to Chris' room, worried at the abrupt stop of the telekinesis.

Chris was huddled in a corner, eyes screwed shut, howling in pain and clutching his temples. Everyone covered their ears at the high pitched shrieking came from over his shattered window.

Piper yelled "Whoa!" and flicked her hands, the banshee exploding.

Chris slumped back against the wall as Leo and Wyatt rushed forward to heal him.

Leo looked at Piper. "His pain must have called the banshee. His whitelighter half means he was nearly killed by the banshee."

Chris sat up, fully healed, and there was a slight tremor through the house. But not as strong as before. His clothes became ragged and grey, torn. His complexion paled, becoming murky.

He flew out of the window before his family could stop him.

Leo looked concernedly at his wife. "Ah. But his witch side can still be turned into a banshee."

Phoebe butted in. "But in the book it says that banshees are always female." She said knowingly, having had experience of the situation herself.

"The book's previous owners haven't had any sons. Especially not a half whitelighter son." Leo explained.

Piper put her head in her hands. "What do we do?"

"Find him. Before he makes his first kill and it becomes permanent."


	6. Enter the Fury

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

6

Paige turned to Phoebe. "I don't understand. How could he turn into a banshee anyway?"

Phoebe looked at her, surprised that she had missed the obvious. "When I turned into a banshee it was because I had lost Cole and I was in great pain. Chris has lost many people, including Bianca, the love of his life. He has the memories, but can't control his emotions as well as he could. I think he still has the capability of a 14 year old to cope with the memories. And they all flooded him at once. As for why he's a male banshee…" She nodded towards Piper and Leo. "He's not exactly the usual witch."

Paige smiled. "Spoken like a true advice columnist."

Piper looked at her sisters exasperated. "How do we find him?"

"Well, it's not like we can bring Bianca back from the other timeline to call him to us, like you used Cole to call me back." Phoebe said.

"And I don't fancy being turned into a dog to track him either." Paige announced.

Wyatt remained silent.

* * *

All Chris could feel was the pain. Everyone's pain. Loss. He flew through the city, unable to make it stop.

Then he focused on the strongest bout of pain in the area.

"Scrying won't work. Unless we can use a spell to configure the crystal…" Paige mused.

Then Chris came flying through the window.

"Wha-t" Paige managed before his face contorted and his mouth opened to howl.

Everyone put their hands on their ears. Except Wyatt. He looked at his brother, lost. He barely flinched when the howling started. Just sank down to the floor.

Piper froze banshee Chris in mid howl, freezing half the city in her haste. She walked to her eldest son.

"Wyatt?" She asked.

Phoebe knew what was wrong. "He's in pain too. He can't believe he was evil. And he can't cope with knowing that he hurt his brother. That's why Chris came after him. I didn't notice it before, with Chris' pain clouding my empathy."

Wyatt looked up at his family, his eyes clouded with pain. "I'm the one who caused this."

Chris unfroze. "It wasn't your fault. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

His family turned shocked. Wyatt looked at him helplessly.

Chris lost his grey complexion, which turned pale as his torn grey robes faded into his normal clothes.

"I can feel your pain." He said softly.

"Y-you can?" Wyatt asked.

"I've been given my empathy early. As a banshee I could feel everyone's pain. I guess the elders wanted me to feel everything else."

Piper walked towards him. "You had empathy?"

Chris turned round furiously as a few pictures started falling off the walls. "YOU WOULD KNOW IF YOU HAD TOLD ME ABOUT MY OTHER LIFE! YOU TOOK THE SPELL OFF! IT'S ALL **YOUR** FAULT!" He yelled looking at his parents and his aunts. He ignored the hurt emotions that were coming off them. He couldn't control his anger. He waved his hand ferociously. Instead of orbing his family out as he had intended, a torrent of flames came bursting out of his hand, torching his bedroom curtains.

"GET **OUT**!"

"But…" Leo started.

Chris waved his hand again, this time succeeding in orbing his family out of the room. He put Wyatt gently on his bed, but in his anger for the rest of the family, caused them to land on the couch with a thud.

"Pyrokinesis?" Paige asked as they untangled themselves.

Chris stormed out of his room in rage. He looked at his family from the top of the stairs. His whole life had been a lie. He went to the top of the stairs, fully ready to stomp down them and vent his anger more.

But he hadn't eaten anything all day, and as all consuming as the anger was, it wasn't enough to give him energy. He wavered uncertainly on the first step as it moved away from his foot in his weakness.

His Mum looked at him. "Chris!" She screamed worriedly, noticing his unbalanced step.

He passed out, and tumbled down the stairs, hitting his head hard on the banister as he fell down the steps. He landed at the bottom, unconscious.

Leo orbed him to the couch in a lying position as Wyatt orbed to his little brother and began healing him. The bruises faded on his body, but he failed to wake up.

"What's wrong?" Piper asked anxiously.

Leo looked at her knowingly. "He must need his rest, or he would have woken up by now. We should let him get sleep while he can."

The family left Chris sleeping peacefully on the couch. No one was there to see the Fury flame in. She walked over to Chris. He would make a wonderful addition to their clan. His anger had been magnificent. She bent over his serene face. She breathed gently. Chris inhaled the black gas from her mouth unknowingly, in his sleep.


	7. Confusion

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

7

Chris woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking. He wondered what he was doing lying on the downstairs couch. Surely he should be lying on the sofa in P3's office?

He swung his legs round and got off the couch, stretching as he walked to the kitchen. Maybe Piper would let him have some breakfast- and explain what he was doing in the manor.

He walked into the kitchen to find Piper lifting the edges of a pancake as it cooked. It smelt delicious.

Piper sensed her youngest son was standing behind her, and turned round with a smile, ready to say, "Hi peanut…" hoping that he had forgiven her for last night. But she was interrupted by an eager Chris.

"Piper. Where are the sisters? I've found another demon to vanquish, one that can read your secrets…"

Piper's smile froze into a frown. "Piper?" She asked puzzled.

"_Please_ tell me that a demon hasn't made you forget who you are? You're Piper, eldest Charmed One, you can blow and freeze things up with your hands…"

"I know who I am…"

"Good. Then let's focus and get this demon. Where are Paige and Phoebe? By the way, why was I lying on the downstairs couch? I normally sleep on the sofa at P3…"

Piper laughed hysterically. "No! This can't- it-it's not happening…"

Chris stopped in the middle of his rant. "Piper?"

That's when Paige orbed down with Phoebe. Chris turned round. "Good… maybe _you_ can get some sense into Piper…" He noticed them fully. "Phoebe. Your hair has grown. Paige. Since when did you go dark again?"

Phoebe laughed, glad that his temper seemed to have improved. "My hair has been this length for 13 _years_ Chris."

Paige frowned. "Why did you call me Paige?"

"Not you too…" Chris groaned.

Paige began to realize what had happened, and why Piper was shaking her head helplessly. Her mind replayed when Chris' head had struck the banister on the way down the stairs. He was stuck in neurotic 22 year old mode.

Unfortunately, that was when Leo decided to orb in.

"Leo! I thought you were in Va… um… missing. Good to have you back." Chris flustered.

Leo turned to his son. "Chris? What's wrong?"

Chris just glared at his 'abandoning' parent. "Nothing's wrong. I've been busy looking after the Charmed Ones…something _you_ couldn't do…"

Piper whispered something into Leo's ear, Chris watched suspiciously as something dawned on Leo's face. It was strange watching 14 year old Chris act like 22 year old Chris.

Wyatt orbed in. "Mum. Pancake smells good- even if it is on fire…" He put the flames out with a wave of his hand. "I'm going out later…"

Chris backed against the wall, not believing his eyes. "W-Wyatt? How did you get here?"

Wyatt didn't notice that his brother was cowering and thought his question was about the kitchen. "Same way as normal dufus. I orbed."

Chris looked around and noticed that his family didn't seem to think that there was anything wrong.

He turned to Wyatt. "What did you do to them! You know I'll never join you…" He ranted.

"Chris?" Wyatt asked puzzled.

"Don't you use that one on me. 'Maybe Chris will join me if he thinks I'm good' ploy. It didn't work last time. I got through your illusion before you made me kill that witch thinking she was a demon."

"Chris?" Wyatt asked concerned.

"You think I'll let my guard down? You won't slip me a potion to change me to your way. That didn't work either. Or the spells. Or the torture. Or the bargaining… The only way to stop me is to kill me. And too many people depend on me for me to let that happen." He waved his hand, sending Wyatt flying into the ceiling. Wyatt orbed away in time.

Chris stared at him in disbelief. "B-but… _You_ can't orb. You only shimmer…"

Piper walked up to him. "Chris… sweetie… that's good Wy. Evil Wyatt became no more when you stopped Gideon from turning him…"

Leo squeezed his shoulder, ignoring that Chris flinched away from his touch. "Chris, son…"

Chris leapt away from them. "H-How do you know? I've kept that secret more guarded than any other secret I had in my life."

Leo spoke with reason. He pointed at a glass cupboard. "Look at your reflection. This is a new timeline. You're 14. Wyatt is good. You saved him."

Chris felt his face as he looked at his reflection. "I wondered why everyone seemed to be taller than normal… Why don't I remember…?" He thought then exclaimed. "It's another one of Wyatt's tricks!" He brushed away his parents. "I never thought you would go this low… Piper is dead…"

"It's Mum to you mister." Piper said firmly.

"Well very good show…" Chris said sarcastically clapping. "Can I go now?"

Wyatt walked towards his brother. "Chris?" He asked carefully.

"Oh no… you're not getting me with that again…"

Paige hit on the head with the saucepan, knocking him out cold.

"Paige!" Piper shouted exasperated.

"Maybe it will knock some sense into him."

"OR MAKE HIM WORSE!" Piper bellowed. "THAT'S MY FOURTEEN YEAR OLD SON YOU JUST HIT ROUND THE HEAD WITH A SAUCEPAN!"


	8. Consumed by Flames

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

8

Paige looked down at the floor sheepishly. "He was acting so much like the 22 year old that I forgot. Sorry."

Leo was sitting with his hands glowing over his son's head, from which a particularly large lump had started protruding. The lump started to shrink and disappeared as the glow came from Leo's hands.

Chris' eyes opened blearily. He shook his head and winced as a major headache took hold. "Did Paige just hit me round the head with a frying pan?"

Paige nodded. "Sorry."

Chris leapt up. "Wyatt. He's behind all this!" He yelled, then his knees buckled under him and he hit the floor. "Ow." He moaned.

Wyatt walked up to his brother worriedly. "Bro, this is getting just a little weird."

"This is said by the guy who is the source of all evil." Chris said sarcastically.

Piper frowned. "Well at least the frying pan didn't upset his sarcasm." Then she hit on an idea. "Chris. Your empathy. Use it. You'll be able to tell that Wyatt isn't evil."

"How did you know about that? Besides, Wyatt doesn't show emotion."

Wyatt squeezed Chris' shoulder. "This version does."

Chris screwed up his eyes as he tried using his empathy as he had a headache that couldn't be matched by a hangover. He sensed worry, fear and confusion. And brotherly love.

"Okay. He's not evil." Everyone sighed in relief. "But what has happened to my memory? And Le- Dad… could you get rid of this headache. Apparently Aunt Paige doesn't realize that we might be super witches, but we're not living in a cartoon."

Leo nodded. "If Wyatt helps me, we should be able to heal you fully."

Chris nodded and leaned back against the wall satisfied when the healing glow healed his headache this time. Memories of his childhood in this timeline flooded back. Unfortunately, his anger returned when he remembered that his parents had caused him to live a lie.

The walls started shaking again, and thanks to his new power of pyrokinesis, flames started licking the wallpaper. His anger, fuelled by his own empathy, caused the vase on the table to shatter and the table in the dining room split in half. Chris' family backed away from him as the area round him started shaking more violently.

A demon flared in. Chris just dodged its fireball and incinerated it into flames before anyone could open their mouth to shout "Demon!"

Leo made his way over to his son over the shaking floorboards. "CHRIS! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT THE ANGER! DON'T LET IT CONTROL YOU!" He shouted over the racket.

Chris turned to him. "You should be punished for what you did." He said coldly and deeply.

Leo looked at him. "Chris? This isn't you."

"WHO am I LEO? You've made sure that I'll never know who I am supposed to be. Which Chris am I?"

Leo grabbed his son, who shook himself free of his grasp.

Phoebe was doubled over in the corner, too overcome with his anger to move.

Piper stood the other side of the room, trapped by a circle of flames as Paige desperately orbed falling pictures away from the family. Wyatt stood the other side of the room too shocked to move, getting hit by pieces of debris. Leo thought that it was lucky that the cousins were staying with Grandpa Victor. They didn't want to see this. Chris had never lost control. And now he was losing it big time.

Chris' eyes reflected the flames which were being strengthened by his immense anger. Leo was slung away from Chris and was frozen by Piper before he hit the wall. Paige orbed him away from the wall, trying to put out the flames around Piper with a fire extinguisher.

Leo reached for Chris just as black tribal markings appeared on his face.

"Chris! Don't let the Furies take you!" He shouted.

Two Furies flamed in, and flamed out taking Chris with them.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt yelled, snapping out of his stupor too late.


	9. Release

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Previously…

_Chris' eyes reflected the flames which were being strengthened by his immense anger. Leo was slung away from Chris and was frozen by Piper before he hit the wall. Paige orbed him away from the wall, trying to put out the flames around Piper with a fire extinguisher. _

_Leo reached for Chris just as black tribal markings appeared on his face. _

"_Chris! Don't let the Furies take you!" He shouted. _

_Two Furies flamed in, and flamed out taking Chris with them._

"_CHRIS!" Wyatt yelled, snapping out of his stupor too late._

_

* * *

_

9

As Chris flamed out of the manor, the flames died down, leaving the manor in chaos. Piper was kneeling in a corner that was minutes from collapsing due to the burnt out floorboards around her. Paige was exhausted from the amount of orbing she had been doing. Phoebe had passed out from the force of Chris' anger. Leo was staring at the hand which had failed to stop Chris. Wyatt was a picture of guilt, deep cuts over his face where the debris had been hitting him.

Paige was the first person to pull herself together. "Right. How do we get Chris back?" She asked loudly to get everyone's attention.

Leo responded slowly. "I don't know."

"Well, let's heal up everyone and save him, shall we?" She said rather forcefully, trying to snap him out of his foggy state.

Leo nodded, walking over to Piper and healing the burns on her arms and face, and gave her a hand up. Piper had a determined grimace on her face. She walked over to the potion ingredients cabinet and pulled out her potions book, starting to flick through it. Leo walked over to Wyatt and started healing the cuts on his face.

Paige, finding she couldn't resist, got a bottle of cold water out of the fridge, and proceeded to pour the entire contents over Phoebe, who sat up spluttering and decidedly moody. "Why did you have to do that for?" She asked irritated.

"Well, since Leo was busy healing Wyatt, I thought I'd wake you up the old fashioned way. I bet your head's clear already."

Phoebe opened her mouth to argue to the contrary, but closed it when she realized her sister was right. Paige was kind enough to orb a towel to her sister to dry herself.

Wyatt decided to make him self useful, seeing how he had frozen when he brother was wrecking the house. "I think I know how to get Chris back…"

* * *

"We don't get many… men here…" One of the furies said, stroking Chris' hair.

He brushed her hand away. "I'm 14. Not a man. And that isn't allowed. We live only to punish those who do wrong." He stood up, radiating authority. "I might not have my witch powers soon, but I'll seek out wrongdoers and kill them anyway." He pointed his hand at one of the candles, using his power to snatch the flame to him. He played with it in his hands, causing it to burn even brighter for a moment. The flame went out. Chris shrugged emotionlessly. "Oh well. Looks like I'm losing my powers." He looked at the spears lying against the cave wall. "I don't need them."

Chris suddenly sensed a witch using their magic to do wrong and nodded to the others to leave; being a male automatically gave him respect. He grabbed a spear himself before flaming out.

* * *

Wyatt hid behind a dumpster and clutched the candy bar in his hand, having effectively stolen it from the shop across the road by orbing it to him.

Less than a minute later, his brother flamed in with the rest of the pack. His face was focused intently. When Wyatt stepped from behind the dumpster, Chris' face registered no hint of surprise.

"Chris?" Wyatt asked tentatively. Chris showed no sign of having heard him, merely raising his spear to strike him down for his misuse of magic.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt yelled, trying to snap his brother out of trying to kill him.

Chris brought his spear down. It glanced off Wyatt's shield.

"NOW!" Wyatt yelled.

Chris looked round to face the Charmed Ones. The furies threw their spears towards them. Paige orbed them to the wall, where they clattered uselessly.

The Charmed Ones gathered round a piece of paper:

_There is a truth that Chris has to feel_

_Piper and Leo's reasons to keep this secret_

_To his heart and mind reveal_

Chris staggered back a step as he was surrounded by glowing light. "NO!" He roared. The glowing light disappeared as suddenly as it had come, and Chris' face was still covered in the black tribal markings. He picked up his spear and turned to face Wyatt again.

Phoebe stared in disbelief. "He fought off a power of three spell. No-one has ever done that before."

Wyatt orbed to his mother and aunts. "He's more powerful now. I'll read the spell with you. Maybe it'll be enough."

_There is a truth that Chris has to feel_

_Piper and Leo's reasons to keep this secret_

_To his heart and mind reveal_

The glowing light appeared around Chris again, brighter than before. Chris' face was screwed up with pain and concentration as he fought the spell. Piper hugged her sisters and son tightly at the ear splitting howl that Chris was releasing. Then it stopped. The tribal markings faded from his face.

Chris sank down to his knees sobbing. "I tried to kill you Wy…"

Wyatt orbed to him immediately, enclosing him in a hug. "It wasn't really you."

Chris looked over at his Mum and Father, who had been standing round the corner, over his brother's shoulder. "I'm sorry…"

Piper ran over to him. "Sweetie… we shouldn't have kept that secret from you. It wasn't fair."

"I understand. The spell made me realize you were thinking of me. I let my emotions control me. The other Chris wouldn't have done that…"

"You **are** Chris. You are just younger. And we were always worried when you bottled up your feelings."

Chris let his memories from his other life have control, hugging his Mum who had died so soon in his life. "I know Mum. I just never wanted to hurt you."

Paige walked towards them. "Speaking of spells… Chris managed to shake off our Power of Three spell. And those pack quite a wallop."

Leo looked up from where he had been healing all the little cuts on his youngest son. "I was an elder this time. Who knows what that could mean?"

"Wyatt could probably do that as well. You've just never tried it." Chris said, not wanting to outdo his big brother.

Wyatt looked down at his little brother. "You're going to be a twice blessed too!" His face radiated bliss at the thought of not being the most powerful, most famous witch ever.

Leo looked at the sisters and his sons. "Two twice blessed children. What do we get ourselves into?" He asked, smiling at Piper.

Paige smiled. Wyatt was born on a magical day; Chris had an elder for a father. And both were sons of the eldest Charmed one.

"Alright!" Chris and Wyatt slapped hands in triumph. Wyatt had to duck suddenly as a burst of fire came flying out of Chris' palm.

"Whoops! I guess I'm kind of new to it."

* * *

Barbas paced around his in lair, looking in on the Charmed Ones through a seer's pool. "Interesting. Even though Chris is now as powerful as Wyatt, I sense he is still afraid. His fears are most interesting… That his Mum will still die and Wyatt will still turn evil." He tutted. "Dear, dear, his fears are almost overpowering him already. Even when he is happy, his terror still lurks… After all, one twice-blessed is almost too much for the Underworld- but two. That can't be allowed…" He smirked to himself. "And killing Chris will make Piper, Leo and Wyatt's fear come to… LIFE!" he flapped his hands dramatically and looked at his pool. "Patience. I must learn enough to make their fears extremely…convincing. I think I should be ready by Chris' 16th birthday…" 


	10. Manipulated

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Previously…

_Wyatt looked down at his little brother. "You're going to be a twice blessed too!" His face radiated bliss at the thought of not being the most powerful, most famous witch ever…_

_Barbas paced around his in lair, looking in on the Charmed Ones through a seer's pool. I think I should be ready by Chris' 16th birthday…And killing Chris will make Piper, Leo and Wyatt's fear come to… LIFE!"_

_

* * *

_

10

Chris sighed happily as he left the manor. He needed to go out and relax- socialize. He hadn't realized just how hard being twice blessed was. He was constantly complained about by the elders that he was too young to have the responsibility and it was bad enough for them to keep an eye on Wyatt. He snorted as he remembered the way that Piper had told them to 'go and shove it." But then there was ALL the training. He now didn't leave the magic school until five most nights.

No, he needed to go out. Get some air. And he thought that he would try somewhere different to his old haunt San Francisco Bridge. Everyone would think to look for him there. He blocked himself from being sensed. He was skiving after all. But he had left a note on Paige's desk do they wouldn't go looking for a demon. Every since the Underworld had found out he was twice blessed too, the attacks on the manor had increased as the demons tried to catch him while he was inexperienced in his new powers. They all seemed to forget that he was formidable with just his telekinesis. He still had trouble with his pyrokinesis, sometimes nightmares from his previous life caused him to set fire to his curtains or the lampshade. Poor Wyatt found it hard to sleep when Piper would come bursting in with a fire extinguisher. Chris couldn't control his new powers in his sleep- and he was still struggling to keep his empathy until control- it was not pleasant when his dreams were invaded by other people's feelings. He shuddered as he thought about the dream he had had that had been induced by his parent's feelings towards each other. Ewww. He had everyone in the house take an extra strong empathy potion specially geared into his power, since the one his family had taken for Phoebe didn't have any effect on his empathy.

Chris turned the corner and saw a nice looking coffee shop. He hadn't seen it before, but then he hadn't really gotten out much, being totally immersed in learning the Book of Shadows from cover to cover.

He opened the door, smiling as the bell above the door jingled to let the owner know there was a new customer. Chris looked around the shop, at the people leaning into chairs and reading papers with their coffee, at the parents giving their children hot chocolate.

He went up to the counter and ordered a latte. He figured that it wouldn't be as good as his Mum's, but he bought a muffin to go with it.

He turned around, and noticed that there weren't any free places to sit. He scanned the area again, and noticed a rather cute girl his age sitting by herself in the corner. She looked up and smiled shyly at him. He meandered up to her.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" He gestured at the full tables. "There isn't anywhere else for me to sit."

"Sure." She replied softly, taking a sip of her own coffee.

"My name's Chris."

"Nyala."

"Nice name."

"I like yours too." She said rather quietly.

Chris took a bit bite out of his muffin and smiled at the girl.

"I hope you don't tell anyone that I'm skipping school. I keep being bullied." She smiled sadly at Chris.

Chris swallowed his mouthful. "I'm skipping too- though I guess you have a better reason."

"It's okay. I guess it's because I'm so shy."

Chris decided to be really really nice to this girl that he had only just met. Besides, he quite liked her.

"That isn't any good reason for them to bully you. You seem really nice."

"You know, sometimes I wish I could just leave."

"But then they'd win."

"But it's hard." She looked away from him. She looked out the window. "What a cute dog." She pointed out the window.

As Chris looked at the dog, Nyala smirked. She took a vial out of her pocket and quickly poured it into his latte. A curl of purple steam rose from the cup and dissolved into the drink.

Chris turned back. "Yeah." Nyala watched him expectantly as he took a long sip of his drink.

Chris looked up at her and smiled. She smiled back.

Nyala got up. "I need to go. See you again sometime. I come here all the time. Meet you here tomorrow?"

Chris nodded.

* * *

Chris walked through the manor door. "Hi! I'm home!" He yelled cheerfully.

Piper came veering through the kitchen door. "JUST WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? LEAVING WITH ONLY A NOTE AND BLOCKING US FROM SENSING YOU! FOR ALL WE KNEW IT WAS A DEMON TRICK"-

Chris cut her off. "I met this amazing girl. Nyala. She's beautiful." He simpered.

Piper stopped her rant, looking at her son worriedly. "Since when do you admit you've found a girl…"

"But I want you to meet her. We're going to get married. I know."

Piper stared disbelieving at her son. He would normally back away from the m word, let alone announce it himself. She would normally have to play detective.

Wyatt orbed in. Chris grabbed him. "Wyatt! I've just met this most amazing girl…"

Wyatt raised an eyebrow, just as Chris doubled over in pain.

"AAargh!" He yelled. His stomach felt as though it was being torn in two. Like he had a thousand needles trying to get out.

Wyatt tried healing him, but his face creased with worry as the glowing of his hands had no effect.

"Nyala…will…make…it all…better…" He gasped before orbing out.


	11. Stuck

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Previously…

_Wyatt orbed in. Chris grabbed him. "Wyatt! I've just met this most amazing girl…"_

_Wyatt raised an eyebrow, just as Chris doubled over in pain._

"_AAargh!" He yelled. His stomach felt as though it was being torn in two. Like he had a thousand needles trying to get out. _

_Wyatt tried healing him, but his face creased with worry as the glowing of his hands had no effect._

"_Nyala…will…make…it all…better…" He gasped before orbing out._

_

* * *

_

11

"What the he…ll was that about?" Wyatt asked, receiving a glare from his mother about his language.

"Whoever that Nyala woman is, she's obviously put Chris under a spell." Piper said.

Wyatt fought hard to suppress a smirk that was surfacing. Despite the fact that his brother was in danger (Heck he was everyday wasn't he?) Chris wouldn't be happy to discover the way that the demon or whatever had managed to make him fall in love with her.

"Can you sense him? Coz I want to kick some demon…" Piper caught herself before using language that she reprimanded Wyatt and Chris for using, but not before Wyatt noticed. And noted it for future use.

"Yeah, I can sense him. That demon isn't very bright. Most demons know by now that I can sense Chris even when he is in the Underworld."

"Less talking. More orbing." Piper held out her hand hurriedly.

* * *

Chris was in excruciating pain. And it wouldn't stop. He could sense his love Nyala. He would be with her soon. She would make it stop. The sensation of orbing left him as he materialized in the Underworld. _She_ was there. Through the pain, seeing her brought a feeling of bliss.

The pain stopped. Chris stood up straight. "How…?" He asked confusedly.

Nyala didn't bother to put on her concerned face. The potion was extremely strong. Chris had fallen for her hook, line and sinker. She smirked. "Whenever we're apart, you're in pain. Simple as that. You can't leave my side."

Something deep inside squirmed in annoyance. But the potion flowing through his veins squashed the sensation. Made his thoughts hazy. All he could think about was Nyala.

"Your brother and that Piper woman will be here in a minute to try and vanquish me…"

"But why? You're not a demon…" Chris announced blindly.

"But they will try anyway. You don't want me dead do you?"

Chris gasped. "No…"

"Then you'll have to kill them before they kill me." Nyala watched the reaction in Chris. In his eyes. They clouded with puzzlement and… determination to fight the potion. She found herself marveling at his resolve. But this was not just any potion. It was the strongest love and control potion EVER made. Even Cupid didn't have enough power to reverse it. She watched satisfied as his green eyes become misty with the purple of the potion. And dampened the fight in him.

"I'll kill them." He said flatly.

"Good. Because they're here."

Piper let go of Wyatt as soon as her feet touched the ground, and flicked her hands at the demon in the cave with Chris, assuming correctly that she was the demon.

Chris jumped in the way. The amount of power behind the blast made his hair stand on end. Piper was not in a good mood. While Piper watched in horror at having attacked her son, he brushed it off as though it was just a gust of wind. She sighed with relief.

Chris flung his hands, sending a wave of telekinetic power roaring at Piper and Wyatt. Wyatt's shield wavered under it, but just held firm.

"Hey…" Wyatt said annoyed.

Chris held out his hands sending fire and telekinetic power in a wave. Wyatt's forehead creased with concentration as he kept his shield up. Then Chris added empathy to it. Wyatt was bombarded with emotion, fire and telekinesis. A mix he had never had to defend against before. Wyatt grabbed his mum and orbed out of the way.

He rematerialized behind Chris. And knocked him out.

"Wyatt Matthew Halliwell. What do you think you are doing?" Wyatt grimaced at the tone in his mother's voice that he had last heard when he tricked Chris into orbing into the sink which had been full of washing up. He turned round apologetically. "It stopped him didn't it? I had a trouble keeping my shield up. It's great him being twice-blessed and all, but what am I supposed to do when a demon makes him go all la la and try to kill us?"

Piper shook her head annoyed. And turned to vent her frustration on Nyala.

Nyala cowered into the corner. Then remembered something. "By the way…" She laughed hysterically. "Killing me will kill Chris."

Piper cursed.

"Mum!" Wyatt teased her in the same tone she had used earlier.

"We'll just put you in a crystal cage until we can reverse it then." Piper glared warningly at Wyatt who took the hint and orbed them out of the Underworld into the attic.

He put Chris on the couch, and orbed a crystal cage around Nyala who was smirking in that annoying way of hers.

Piper circled round the cage threateningly until she walked over to the book of shadows, where she flicked through it at an alarming pace.

Chris groaned from his position on the couch. His eyes were hazy green. "Wyatt? Did you knock me out?"

Wyatt opened his mouth to say "Yes- and it worked didn't it?" When the green was overshadowed by a stream of purple.

"Nyala!" Chris yelled, telekinetically flinging the crystal cage open.

Piper grabbed a bag that was lying on the floor and grabbed a handful of the contents.

She ran to Chris. And blew the dust into his face.

Chris looked like he was going to sneeze. Then his knees just gave way and he crumpled to the ground, his chest rising and falling slowly.

Meanwhile, Wyatt orbed the crystal cage back around Nyala.

Piper lifted her son back onto the couch, where he lay sleeping.

She wheeled round to face Nyala. "He's _fourteen_. And you even had him thinking about _marriage_. I HATE to think how old you are."

Nyala settled herself down onto the floor and sat with her familiar smirk.

Piper and Wyatt waited.

Chris stirred on the couch. He blinked once, and then sat up suddenly.

"Chris. Kill them." Nyala urged from inside the cage.

Chris looked at her. "Why?" His eyes were clear green. A bit of purple flickered in them, but was quenched.

Piper blew the demon up who screamed as she was sent to Hell.

"Welcome back." Wyatt snickered.

Chris groaned. "_Marriage?"_ He asked.

"Yeah!" Piper and Wyatt both laughed.

"I guess that sleep helped you fight the potion off." Piper said.

"How did you guess?" Chris asked.

"When Wyatt knocked you out, you had almost beaten the potion, but it wasn't long enough. I used some of the Sandman's sand to give you longer." She explained.

"Well thanks anyway. _Marriage_?" Chris asked himself as he left the attic.

* * *

Later, Wyatt had just settled himself down into his bed. When Chris orbed on top of him.

"Oof!" Wyatt complained.

"Everyone else is asleep!" Chris whispered.

"Yeah? So we should be too."

"Now's the perfect time to see if we can find out who sent the demon."

"You mean _Nyala_." Wyatt batted his eyes at Chris mockingly.

Chris gave him a playful telekinetic shove.

"Alright, alright. I give in!" Wyatt hissed quietly.

"Lets go." Chris announced.

"In our _pyjamas_? Do you think we should be going in the first place…?"

"Are you _afraid_?"

"No way!"

"So you're coming."

"Yes." He sighed. But if he didn't go, Chris would go by himself anyway.

They orbed down to the Underworld. The torches flickered, throwing shadows on the cave like walls.

Wyatt and Chris moved cautiously round the corner.

_Lions and tigers and bears- oh my! Lions and tigers and bears- oh my!_

Chris groaned. _Wyatt? Will you please stop doing that in my head! _

_Lions and tigers and bears- oh my! Lions and tigers and bears- oh my!_

_You watch way too many movies. _Chris announced in his head since he knew Wyatt would be able to hear him. It could be annoying to have a telepathic brother.

_Wait! Wait! Who was that girl you were with the other… _

_WYATT! _Chris yelled incensed. _Did I give you permission to start rooting around in my head? Just focus, will you? Let's find a demon who can give us some information._

The demon found them first, hitting Chris in the back with an energy ball.

Chris turned round in shock as the energy ball just went through him. He laughed. "Is that the best you can do?"

The demon shimmered away only just missing the energy ball that Wyatt threw at him.

"Damn!" Wyatt looked at Chris. "Are you alright?"

"The energy ball just went right through me. What kind of useless power is that?" He laughed again.

"All the same, let's go home. Okay? You know as well as I do that that energy ball could have done anything."

"Alright worry wart." Chris' eyelids drooped.

"Are you tired?" Wyatt started looking him over.

Chris fought against his sudden tiredness. "No…" He almost fooled Wyatt, but was let down by a rather large yawn. His shoulders slumped as he became drowsy.

"Chris? Chris!" Wyatt shook him as his eyelids closed. He swayed sideways as he succumbed to the irresistible urge to sleep.

Wyatt caught him before he hit the ground. His mum was going to _kill _him. His guilt almost paralyzed him again as his brother couldn't be aroused. He orbed to his parent's bedroom.

* * *

Barbas laughed with pleasure. Nyala might have failed him, but at least he knew that that avenue of thought was useless. But he learnt that Chris was very powerful indeed. He had managed to throw off the potion.

He wondered what he would learn with his latest demon. Yes… this one was going to be very interesting indeed. And if it killed the boy, well, he couldn't help that. He didn't mind though. It was his plan. And he could take the credit for it. Become the new source. Or maybe something more powerful.

* * *

Piper and Leo woke to the sound of orbing in their bedroom. Wyatt was carrying Chris, who was tossing and turning in an agitated sleep…

_Chris turned the corner. Everything was distorted and grey._

_He saw Wyatt._

"_Wy. Thank God! What happened?" Wyatt didn't respond._

_Chris shook him. "Wy! Answer me."_

_Wyatt regarded him coldly. _

_Chris backed away, recognizing him from his other life's memories._

"_No..." He breathed._

"_I never gave you permission to touch me." He raised a hand holding a high voltage energy ball. Chris backed into the wall, trapped._

"_All you have to do is join me…"_

"_You know I can't do that."_

_He screamed in pain as the energy ball hit him. Burning into his side. His vision went from grey to black…_

_

* * *

_

Piper and Leo watched Chris in horror as his forehead became beaded with sweat.

"Wy! Answer me!" He murmured. Wyatt grabbed his hand but it had no effect on Chris.

"No…" He whispered faintly.

His body tossed as he tried to get away from something.

"You know I can't do that."

His body contorted as he screamed in pain.

Leo and Wyatt held their hands over him trying to heal him. Chris just tossed more. Then went limp. His breathing stopped.

Piper screamed, causing most of the manor to find their way into her bedroom by some method or another.

Chris' face became a shade paler, something the occupants in the room wouldn't have thought possible. He was so pale already.

He started breathing again. Shallowly, as though it was difficult from him to breathe. A quick feel of his pulse showed that it was racing. As was his temperature. Leo didn't even want to think what temperature it was. He started shivering, so Wyatt orbed him into his parent's bed under the covers, which twisted around him as he started tossing again.

* * *

_Chris found himself back in the grey world again. His breath rasped in his throat as he fought to keep calm._

_He ran. Ran to get away._

_But Wyatt shimmered in front of him. Chris ran into him._

"_Trying to get away Chris? Join me."_

"_Never! Chris' voice wavered, but rang clearly around the cave._

"_I'm sorry." Wyatt hit him with another energy ball._

_

* * *

_

Chris sat up, his eyes open. Wide. Unseeing. His eyes flailed wildly.

"NEVER!" He yelled. Then fell back onto the bed. Leo began CPR as Chris' heart started failing him.

Wyatt was scared out of his mind. So was Chris. Except he was stuck in a recurring nightmare. Barbas felt the fear down in the Underworld. Piper's. Leo's. Wyatt's. All of the Halliwell household. But what made him laugh even more was the fear coming from Chris as he restarted the nightmare again.


	12. Trapped

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Previously…

"_Damn!" Wyatt looked at Chris. "Are you alright?"_

"_The energy ball just went right through me. What kind of useless power is that?" He laughed again. _

"_All the same, let's go home. Okay? You know as well as I do that that energy ball could have done anything."_

"_Alright worry wart." Chris' eyelids drooped._

"_Are you tired?" Wyatt started looking him over._

_Chris fought against his sudden tiredness. "No…" He almost fooled Wyatt, but was let down by a rather large yawn. His shoulders slumped as he became drowsy…_

"I'm sorry." Wyatt hit him with another energy ball.

_Chris sat up, his eyes open. Wide. Unseeing. His eyes flailed wildly._

"_NEVER!" He yelled. Then fell back onto the bed. Leo began CPR as Chris' heart started failing him._

_Wyatt was scared out of his mind. So was Chris. Except he was stuck in a recurring nightmare. Barbas felt the fear down in the Underworld. Piper's. Leo's. Wyatt's. All of the Halliwell household. But what made him laugh even more was the fear coming from Chris as he restarted the nightmare again._

_

* * *

_

12

Wyatt watched in horror as his brother stopped breathing. He was pushed aside by Leo in his rush to start CPR on the son that he had lost so many years ago. He couldn't lose him again. Was his youngest son doomed to be a target for the Underworld for the rest of his life?

Piper slid down to the floor in disbelief, tears running freely down her cheeks. The rest of the family hung in the doorway, unable to move. Not wanting to get in the way. Not knowing what to do.

Chris jerked and took a sudden intake of breath. Only to begin the nightmare again.

* * *

_Chris hid in a narrow gap. Hiding from someone who should be his brother. He had never felt so weak. It was an effort to breathe. His heart thudded wildly yet faint as it was, seemed to echo throughout this nightmarish world._

_No brother should have to play this kind of hide and seek._

_He held his jerky breath as he heard footsteps coming from all around. He tried to orb for the hundredth time, only to find himself too weak._

_He was telekinetically dragged across the dark floor, his feet dangling. He desperately clawed at his throat trying to get some air as he was lifted closer to the dank cave ceiling. He winced as the grip was loosened and he fell to the floor painfully._

_He didn't want to look up. But the telekinetic grip forced him to._

_Teary green eyes looked into cold merciless ones. Not even a flicker of pity._

"_Join me." He whispered forcefully._

_Chris struggled to make his voice work. His indignant refusal came out as an inaudible no. _

_But the meaning was clear. And Wyatt wouldn't accept the answer._

_Chris closed his eyes as the energy ball flared up in Wyatt's palm._

_Everything went black._

_

* * *

_

Paige had orbed the book to her and had flicked through the pages so hastily with Phoebe that half of them had torn. Piper was holding Chris' hand for dear life. His tossing was much weaker. But his temperature was still soaring. Leo had thrown the thermometer to the floor, in a futile attempt to change the high figures that flashed at him.

Chris' hand tore out of Piper's grasp to clutch at his throat. He began choking, gasping for air that he wasn't getting. His face began to take on a blue tinge as his body was being starved of oxygen.

He winced and his body went limp. He stopped tossing, the fight gone out of him.

Wyatt felt himself losing his grip on reality as Chris stopped breathing again.

He had an idea.

Leo managed to get Chris breathing again. But it had taken much longer and Chris was even weaker than before. His tossing was barely noticeable. He desperately tried healing him with his hands again to no avail.

There was a loud thump as Wyatt hit the floorboards.

Piper and Leo looked torn. Which son needed their help the most?

Phoebe stopped them. "It's okay. Wyatt is over there." She pointed to Chris. "He's in Chris' head. He telepathically astral projected."

Piper looked at her with horror. "What happens to Wyatt if Chris stops breathing?"

Phoebe didn't know how to reply.

* * *

_Chris was huddled into a corner. He didn't have the energy to hide. Literally. The cave walls were the only thing stopping him from falling backwards onto the floor. He knew deep down that HE was coming…_

_He slowly lifted his head to meet those cold blue eyes again. He shook his head almost imperceptibly, already knowing the question that he was going to ask. He didn't even have the energy to try and pull away the hands that were choking him again._

"_STOP RIGHT THERE!"_

_Chris looked at Wyatt. There was no way he would say anything like that. His vision began to blur as black appeared at the edges, closing in on him. Chris went even limper as the darkness encircled him._

_He heard an energy ball. He braced himself for the impact. For the burning through his flesh. _

_Chris felt the hands around his throat loosen. He started falling…_

"_NO!" Wyatt looked at his brother falling from the cave ceiling. He looked at his evil self, shuddering. But it wasn't him. It looked like him, but it wasn't him. His eyes could never be that cold, unfeeling._

_Throwing an energy ball with one hand at his alter ego, he hit him with a powerful blast. With his other hand, his telekinetically slowed Chris' descent._

_Chris landed softly on the ground. But he wasn't moving._

_Wyatt went to run over to his little brother lying helplessly on the floor. Was he dead? _

_He was stopped by his evil version getting up._

"_Now it's my turn…" He said, summoning Excalibur to him. _

_Wyatt looked at his brother. "I have to do this, for you." He turned to face the person who had hurt his brother so badly. An opponent without remorse._


	13. Uh oh!

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Previously…

_Wyatt went to run over to his little brother lying helplessly on the floor. Was he dead? _

_He was stopped by his evil version getting up._

"_Now it's my turn…" He said, summoning Excalibur to him. _

_Wyatt looked at his brother. "I have to do this, for you." He turned to face the person who had hurt his brother so badly. An opponent without remorse._

* * *

13

Piper had spent the last fifteen minutes running her hands through her hair and pacing around her bedroom, torn between her two sons, one lying frail in the bed and the other lying motionless on the floor. The Book of Shadows had never been flicked through so many times in so small a time. But with both her sons in danger, that small time had stretched out into a long agonizing wait. Paige and Phoebe were flicking through the Book again and Leo was still trying in vain to heal Chris. The rest of the family were pacing downstairs, flicking through their own spell and potion books.

Piper swung her head round hurriedly as Phoebe gave out a sound that sounded like she had found something. It was annoying how everything in the Book appeared, disappeared and moved around on its own. This was why Paige's attempt to index it years ago had failed miserably.

"What?" She walked towards her sister.

"We've found something." Phoebe shook her head worriedly.

"WHAT!" Piper snapped exasperatedly.

Phoebe just passed over the Book so Piper could read it herself. She looked at the painting of the demon. Nothing unremarkable there- he looked human. But her blood ran as cold as ice as she read the entry:

BOROLIX- High level demon. Has energy balls that seem to have no impact at first, but cause the victim to fall into a nightmare state where Borolix controls everything in the nightmare. Unfortunately for the person, anything which happens to them in the nightmare happens to their actual self.

No known vanquishing potion or spell. The demon affects the person as long as they believe that what is happening to them is real. He has no power unless the person believes that he has power.

Piper flicked through the book again, frantically looking for a spell or a potion that would help. A gasp from Leo made her turn her head so fast it almost hurt. But what hurt her more was what she saw. Wyatt was hurt… bleeding as though he had been stabbed by a sword. Paige rushed forward to help heal him when Chris started shaking uncontrollably. Piper spent what felt like an age torn between her two sons. Then Chris stopped breathing again…

* * *

_Wyatt faced his worst opponent ever. Himself. Every move he made was matched exactly. Almost faster than he thought of a move, it was blocked. Every parry of Excalibur rang through the air as it bounced off an identical copy of Excalibur. He broke off, panting. Circling his opponent. Himself. He didn't dare look in Chris' direction. It would mean death for him. One false move. That would be all it would take. And the other guy hadn't been decent enough to say ANYTHING. At least most demons had the nice tendency to banter a bit before their sticky end. Tell him their master plan and how he wouldn't ever be able to defeat them before the potion hit and they were sent to Hell. Wyatt inwardly sighed as he lifted Excalibur for another round. This guy was tough. After what he had done to Chris…_

_Wyatt shook his head. Thinking of Chris made him lose his focus. And every second fighting the evil version of himself was a second of his opponent's attention away from Chris. Wyatt had no smart ass comments now._

_Evil Wyatt smirked. Or the demon that was masquerading as Wyatt did, but Wyatt didn't know that. Borolix had realized his young opponent's weakness. His **brother**. He raised his sword pretending to hit Wyatt on the right, and just as Wyatt was preoccupied with his right side, he raised an energy ball to his hand. And threw it at Chris._

_Wyatt noticed at the last minute that the energy ball was heading for Chris, who was lying as helplessly on the floor as before. He deflected it with his telekinesis._

_Evil Wyatt laughed. And ran Wyatt through with his version of Excalibur._

_Wyatt gasped at the pain that went through his shoulder. He breathed fast and heavy, each breath rattling through his chest. He sank down to his knees and almost passed out as the sword was pulled out. But he was not spared from the pain, from the blood running through his fingers that were clutching his wound. The demon laughed again, still assuming the shape of Wyatt. He raised his hand, lifting Chris, who had just stirred suddenly as Wyatt was run through with the sword, into the air. His legs kicked weakly, uselessly as he was once again faced with no oxygen in his lungs. He managed to orb out of the telekinesis' grip to his brother, even though it cost him most of the strength that he had left. He grabbed his brother's hand, trying in vain to make it better. Wishing he could heal him. He had never needed to heal anyone before and didn't know how to anyway. But he was using all his strength to hold his hand. He couldn't heal him even if he knew how._

"_I'm…sorr-yy…Chris…"Wyatt managed to whisper. _

_The demon watched them in amusement. "How pathetic." He thought._

_Chris frowned in determination. He wasn't going to let Wyatt die. He put his hands over Wyatt's bleeding shoulder and drew all his remaining strength and willpower._

_His hands lit up. He was doing it! Chris poured all his strength into his hands. The wound began to close…_

_The demon had had enough. He wasn't about to let the boy heal his brother. He grabbed Chris by the shoulders, lifting him off his feet. Chris didn't put up a fight. Healing his brother by even that small amount had cost him the last bit of energy that he had left. Borolix dropped him roughly on the grey floor in disgust. So weak._

_Wyatt dragged himself to his brother. He wasn't about to die anymore, but he wasn't in shape to win the Olympics either. And he couldn't say that Chris was either. He pulled his little brother close to him. Protecting him, even though Chris wasn't showing any signs of life. He just had to be alive! Wyatt shook him, trying to wake him. He tried healing him. It didn't work. He shook his head, trying again._

_Borolix laughed, dropping the illusion to reveal a rather human looking demon. "I'm blocking you. You can't heal him."_

"_But Chris managed to heal me…" _

"_I wasn't expecting it. But I have a job to finish…"_

_Wyatt threw up his shield, not knowing how long it would last…_

_

* * *

_

Piper looked on in horror. Paige and Leo's attempts to heal Chris or Wyatt weren't working. She held on to Phoebe for dear life.

Piper relaxed a minor fraction when Chris started breathing again. Wyatt's wound began to close.

"It's not me!" Paige yelled.

"It's Chris!" Piper knew. He had learned to heal. She was so proud of him…

The wound stopped closing as Chris over in the bed went limp. His hand hung slack over the side of the bed. Piper howled in rage, fear and despair.

"Paige! Orb some candles here NOW!"

Paige did so immediately and proceeded to light them, placing them in a circle. Piper stood in the centre of the candles.

_Take me to my sons NOW! _She roared.

Even though the spell didn't rhyme or even resemble a spell so much as resemble a cry for help, the Powers that be seemed to accept it. Piper's body fell to the floor as she was taken to her sons.

* * *

_Wyatt's shield buckled again under the force of the energy ball blows being thrown at it. It rippled and almost gave way. Wyatt clung to his motionless brother._

_Borolix laughed as his put all his power into creating the largest energy ball he could manage- and Wyatt and Chris' belief in his powers had made that a LOT of power. Then the energy ball fizzed out in his palm._

"_What?" He asked no-one in particular._

"_MUM!" Wyatt gasped relieved. _

_Borolix spun round._

"_You!"_

"_Yes. The Mother. One very peeved Mother who is about to KILL you for hurting my sons…" Piper shrieked._

"_Woah Mum!" Wyatt muttered. Secretly impressed at her._

_Piper raised her hands and blew the demon up with such force that it blew a hole in the floor._

_The cave rippled and was no more._

_

* * *

_

"Nooo!" Barbas yelled, waving away the vision he had been watching. Borolix had been a very powerful ally. And Piper had just blown him into oblivion. And he couldn't risk going to the Halliwell mansion to see if Borolix had actually killed Chris. Ah well. At least he had found out some VERY useful information about Chris AND Wyatt.

Piper stood up instantly from her previous position on the floor. Wyatt was still unconscious, but Paige had already started healing his shoulder wound.

She turned to her youngest son. Leo was sweating as he struggled to keep up the healing glow from his hands. It didn't seem to be having much effect. Paige ran to his side, helping with the healing.

A bit of colour returned to Chris' face. Not much. Chris remained as limp in the bed as before. And Paige and Leo had healed him as much as they could, pulling him from the very brink of death.

All they could do was wait.


	14. Learning from past mistakes

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

_Previously…_

_Piper stood up instantly from her previous position on the floor. Wyatt was still unconscious, but Paige had already started healing his shoulder wound._

_She turned to her youngest son. Leo was sweating as he struggled to keep up the healing glow from his hands. It didn't seem to be having much effect. Paige ran to his side, helping with the healing._

_A bit of colour returned to Chris' face. Not much. Chris remained as limp in the bed as before. And Paige and Leo had healed him as much as they could, pulling him from the very brink of death._

_All they could do was wait._

* * *

14

Piper looked at her sons lying in her bed. Wyatt still hadn't woken up and Chris was breathing softly, each breath rattling in his chest. Piper's heart stopped every time there was a pause in his breathing. In case _he_ had found a way to come back. They looked so vulnerable- Piper wanted to bundle them up and hide them from the world, especially the Underworld, forever safe. But she wanted them to have at least some sort of normal life.

Piper walked out of the room for a moment, noticing that her sister Paige was beckoning to her from the doorway.

"Is it done?" Piper whispered.

"Yep. I've placed crystals round your bedroom. They won't be leaving the room to the Underworld- or anywhere else for that matter unless you, me or Phoebe unlocks the crystals." Paige whispered softly.

"Great. At least that'll mean one less grey hair for me. I want to make sure that Chris isn't going to have any more kamikaze missions for a while. I don't think I can take it for a while at least- he's turning into things and being kidnapped or taken by demons quicker than we ever could. It's hard keeping up with what is happening. It's just as well that I did decide to let him go to magic school- at least with you being headmistress he can get away with missing so many lessons."

Piper crept back into her bedroom to keep up her watch.

* * *

Barbas was looking into the pool that he had taken from a seer- watching sulkily at the person who had spoiled everything- though if Borolix had taken out Piper's sons he might have tried to become source. He knew that Piper was a possible spanner in the works. He sat pondering…

* * *

Wyatt stretched lazily, still half asleep. Then he remembered. He jolted upright. "CHRIS!" he yelled.

Piper hissed at him from the other side of the bed. "Shh. He's still asleep- and barely alive." She glared at Wyatt, warning him with one simple look that he and Chris were going to be in SO much trouble when they were better, for orbing down to the Underworld in the middle of the night.

Wyatt shut up and turned in the bed, realizing that his Mum had put him in her bed, and then realized that Chris was next to him. He was pale, almost as pale as he had been when Wyatt had seen him in the cave being strangled by the demon. Almost as pale as when the darklighter had shot him and kidnapped him. He gulped, realizing just how close to death his little brother had been- and not for the first time. Chris stirred.

Wyatt froze, not wanting to wake up his brother.

"No… please… don't hurt Wyatt…" Chris moaned.

Wyatt looked at his brother. "I'm right here…"

"PLEASE! I'LL DO ANYTHING… Bianca!" He yelled.

Chris twisted, agitated.

"Bianca?" Wyatt puzzled. Chris hadn't got round to telling Wyatt all of the details- some he would never tell him. Wyatt was saddened at the though that his brother had so many secrets…

"Don't ask." Piper whispered, her own face pale at the thought of the nightmares her son was having.

"MUMMMMMM!" Chris screamed.

Piper ran round to the other side of the bed. "I'm here peanut. Shh. It's all okay. Mummy's here…" She said, stroking the side of his face gently.

Chris bolted upright suddenly, into his Mum's waiting arms. He leant into her arms, snuggling exhaustedly into her embrace. Piper almost burst into tears at the sight of her 14 year old son, so scared. So helpless against the dreams that were haunting him in his sleep. In his weakened state.

Chris opened his eyes blurrily. A tear slid down his face. "Mum?" He asked tentatively.

"Shh peanut, mummy's here…"

"I-I thought you were…"

Wyatt slid across the bed to his little brother. He hugged him for his dear life. "You're okay!"

"Right back at ya, bro! When that sword went through you…"

"It wasn't too pleasant watching you dangling in the air being choked either…"

"Erm erm." Piper coughed, alarmed.

"Umm… It wasn't that bad Mum…" Chris gave his Mum a dazzling smile.

"Don't you smile like that at me young man… you're not leaving this room until I can be sure that you won't go sneaking off to the Underworld again…"

"What!" Chris shouted. "I needed to find who…"

"No! You're to leave that side of the problem to us. Now you need to focus on getting better- which you wouldn't need to do if you hadn't gone off to the Underworld. Imagine how it felt for us when you turned up here in the middle of the night unconscious in your brother's arms…"

Chris stopped in the middle of his preparing to rant. "I-I- I'm sorry…" he trailed off.

Piper smiled. "Just don't do it again- but the rule sticks for a few days, okay?" Chris nodded. "I'll go make some soup."

Piper left the boys in her room, smiling to herself. At least Chris seemed to have realized what he had done.

* * *

Chris whacked Wyatt round the head with a pillow.

"Hey? What was that for?"

"Well I'm going to be stuck her with you for a few days, so I thought I'd use the opportunity to practice my pillow fighting skills…"

Wyatt laughed and hit Chris with his pillow, causing the room to be enveloped in hundreds of little white feathers.

Chris and Wyatt choked, spitting out the feathers that had drifted into their mouths. "Oops." Wyatt grinned, using his powers to orb the feathers back into his cushion and for it to seal back up. They laid back down into bed quickly.

* * *

Piper walked into the room to see her two boys grinning like Cheshire cats. "Okay. What happened?"

"Nothing!" Both boys said innocently at precisely the same time.

Piper decided to let that one slide, passing her sons their soup.

* * *

Chris looked up from his book that he was reading when his brother asked him a question.

"Its been a week now and they still won't let us out."

"Yeah. I think we scared them big time this time round." Chris nodded sagely. "Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea to go down to the Underworld without researching it first…"

"Chris!" Wyatt raised his hand to his chest theatrically. "Are you saying that you shouldn't have gone down to the Underworld?"

"When did I say that?" Chris said innocently.

Wyatt socked him on the arm.

* * *

Piper kissed her husband on her way into the kitchen, where her sisters were waiting for her.

"What demon is it this time?" She sighed.

Phoebe stood up. "Honey… it's a demon that can siphon off powers for energy. Jorgead, I think his name was."

Paige nodded. "We brewed up some serious kick ass potion to vanquish his sorry ass…"

Piper grabbed a vial. "Right, let's get this over with- I don't want to leave the boys alone too long- you know what they can do."

Phoebe looked at Jason, who had just joined them in the doorway with Richard.

"Where are the kids?" Paige asked.

"Chris and Wyatt are still in Piper and Leo's room, and I left Matt and Sam watching TV with their cousins Melissa and Prue." Richard answered.

"Are you sure you want to come with us?" Phoebe asked, looking closely at Jason.

"I might not have any powers, but I want to support my wife with my superior potion throwing technique."

"Yeah? What's that?" Richard asked.

"Throw, and then duck behind the nearest rock."

Phoebe laughed.

Leo kissed his wife once more. "I'll stay behind to watch the kids."

The other adults orbed out just as a demon flamed in, taking Leo with him.

* * *

Chris looked at Wyatt. "They've been gone ages, with no word. Something's up."

Wyatt nodded. "Let's get rid of the crystals then."

Chris threw fire at the crystals, as Wyatt sent his energy balls at them. They exploded. Chris and Wyatt orbed downstairs.

"Right Chris lets split up and look for clues. I'll be Fred- _you _can be Velma."

Chris sent Wyatt a withering glare that could wilt crops. "I seem to remember a certain movie quote fetish leading to the whole trouble in the Underworld in the first place."

Wyatt shrugged. "I did feel guilty, but then I realized that where would the world be without my movie quotes?"

"Oh, I don't know- maybe exactly the _same_?" Chris asked exasperated.

"Whatever bro."

Chris groaned, walking into the living room. The TV was on, but there was no one there.

"Helllloo?" He called.

"SCOOBY DOOOO WHERE ARE YOU!"

"WYATT WILL YOU STOP WITH THE MOVIE QUOTES ALREADY!"

"NOPE!"

Chris looked into the kitchen, touching the working surface.

He was thrown into a premonition of his father being grabbed from behind by a demon, followed by a trip to the Underworld where the family was chained to the cave walls, being advanced upon by a demon. "OTHER CHRIS! GET OUT!" Piper screamed. The demon threw an energy ball at him, causing him to fly into the wall.

Chris slid to the floor, clutching his side. "Whoa."

Wyatt walked into the kitchen. He ran to his brother and healed him. "What happened!"

"I just had a new power. And the premonition wasn't good. Some demon has everyone!" Chris gasped.

"Your power of premonition advanced that fast? You were actually there?" Wyatt looked at his brother proudly.

"Yeah- and a fat lot of good it was that I went to the scene and got hit in the future. Its going to be sooo weird when I'm actually there."

"Why?"

"There's going to be two of me- Mum shouted 'Other Chris get out!'"

"Let's save them then." Wyatt said impatiently.

Chris grabbed the book. "A quick bit of research this time first though!"

Wyatt looked at him sheepishly, and then grinned. "Okay Velma!"

Chris growled at him.


	15. Finding Family

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

I will answer all reviews given from now on, but I can only reply to the reviews by a reply button on the email. Apparently signed reviews have a button that enables me to reply using email. I hope it works, since it's what is stopping me from replying to the reviews for the previous chapter. Grr. I will answer reviews personally by the new method as I don't want my fanfic to be deleted. Humph. Thanks to the people who reviewed earlier anyway! And I am sorry that I have only just had time to update, time that should be spent doing my homework… do dee do dum..

* * *

_Previously…_

_Piper kissed her husband on her way into the kitchen, where her sisters were waiting for her._

"_What demon is it this time?" She sighed._

_Phoebe stood up. "Honey… it's a demon that can siphon off powers for energy. Jorgead, I think his name was."…_

…_The other adults orbed out just as a demon flamed in, taking Leo with him…_

…"_I just had a new power. And the premonition wasn't good. Some demon has everyone!" Chris gasped._

"_Your power of premonition advanced that fast? You were actually there?" Wyatt looked at his brother proudly…_

…"_Let's save them then." Wyatt said impatiently._

_Chris grabbed the book. "A quick bit of research this time first though!"…_

_

* * *

_

15

Chris looked at the map his brother was scrying over. "Look. I'm telling you that we won't find the others by scrying. Demons have gotten smart enough to know that we always scry and sense first."

Wyatt threw the crystal down in frustration. "Well what do you suggest we do then?" he asked dejectedly.

Well, I was unable to get the book to reveal the page it had been at before it was slammed shut.

"Yes…" Wyatt asked impatiently.

"It is a demon called Jorgead. Quite upper level actually. He can siphon powers off…"

"Well we'd better hurry then!"

"Yes Wyatt." Chris sighed at his brother's impatience. "Well I just need to grab the extra batch of potion that I made, then we can try out _my_ idea."

"And what's that?"

"We do a 'joint sensing'. By combining our power, I think that we might be able to sense roughly where our family is."

Wyatt sniggered. "Sounds like something out of Star Wars or something!"

"What makes you say that? I think you've been watching far too many movies. You've got them confused. Star Wars is the one where they use the 'force' to guide them. Not sense for their family in the Underworld where an upper level demon has them."

"You're just being skeptical. I think there's a big similarity between the two actually."

Then it was Chris' turn to snort. "I think that's a wide range of vocabulary for you."

Wyatt telepathically called into his head.

_**Use the force…**_

_**Get out of my head now! I can't afford distractions. Just focus, okay!**_

_**The ph-an-tom of the op-er-a is he-re… in-side you-r min-d…**_

Chris replied to the taunting by threatening to singe off his brother's eyebrows.

Chris grabbed his brother's hand. He instructed his brother. "Try to sense them as hard as you can, at the same time as me. Imagining our powers combining."

Wyatt concentrated as hard as Chris. They could sense everyone in San Francisco and beyond. They used their combined power to sense deep underground, into the Underworld.

They could vaguely sense demons. Darklighters. A few seers. Then they sensed it. Very faint, and they couldn't find the exact location. But they knew roughly where their family was.

They orbed to the Underground without another word.

* * *

Barbus sat looking in his pool. The brothers were on their way to save their family. How… sentimental. But Jorgead had darklighters waiting for them. It was unlikely that they would be able to find a way out of this situation. And Chris hadn't even thought of the possibility, his worry for his family clouding his judgment.

Well, Barbus wasn't going to let Jorgead absorb the Charmed Ones powers and take his place as the new source.

He flamed out to the darklighters, athame in his hand. Stabbing them into oblivion before they knew he was there.

"Round One to me Jorgead." he muttered. "Now while the Charmed Ones are occupied…"

He flamed to the Halliwell mansion

* * *

Piper woke up to find her back against a highly uncomfortable cave wall. Complete with her arms chained to the wall. Turning her head a fraction, she took in her surroundings. Leo was next to her, desperately pulling at his chains to try and get his arms free.

Phoebe was talking to her husband, trying to think of a way to calm their children down. Prue was panicking after waking up to find herself chained to a wall- to be expected, since she hadn't been allowed out demon hunting yet. Her sister Melissa was finding it hard to keep calm, as she had only recently gained her power of empathy. And was struggling with it.

"Prue! Will you stop with your jabbering and at least try to levitate your way out!"

"Don't you think I've tried already!"

Melissa was finding it hard not to slap her little sister round the face.

Other the other side of the cave, Richard was trying to wake Paige up by shouting in her ear. Which clearly wasn't working. Their sons Matt and Sam were trying their hardest to break out of their chains as well. Matt was trying to blast his chains off with his whitelighter explosions, coming close to burning himself in the process, whilst Sam was trying to pull his chains out of the wall with his whitelighter version of telekinesis.

Piper yelled loudly to get their attention.

"HELLO PEOPLE!"

Everyone (conscious) turned to face Piper.

"Hasn't _anyone_ thought of saying a spell to undo the chains?" Piper asked sarcastically.

There was a resounding silence in the cave.

"I guess not then." Piper said exasperatedly.

Phoebe cleared her throat as she began her spell…

_**Break these chains that bind us fast**_

_**Break the dark magic, it cannot last**_

_**I call on the Power of Three**_

_**To set us from these chains free**_

The chains on the adults broke free, sending them falling into the dirt below. Paige lay face down in the dirt. Richard crawled painfully over to her, turning her over and shaking her gently.

The children in the cave started moaning.

"Why aren't we free?" Prue moaned.

Melissa looked to her mother for answers. As did her cousins Matt and Sam.

Phoebe coughed shiftily. "You're safer up there. I don't want you running around trying to vanquish demons…"

Melissa spoke sarcastically to her Mum, a trait she had learned from her cousin Chris. "And we're sooo much safer up here chained to the wall… What if a demon comes. We can't move…"

Phoebe opened her mouth to say that she hadn't thought of that when Jorgead walked in.

"Well, how did you get free?" He sneered.

Piper raised her hands to find that her accomplished explosion power had no effect.

"Oh." She had time to say before Jorgead hit her with an energy ball.

Piper's face contorted in pain as she felt her powers being siphoned out of her, her energy being sucked with it.

Leo ran to his wife. Jorgead ignored him until he was unable to siphon off any more power. Piper's powers returned to her.

Jorgead threw an energy ball at Leo, recognizing him as the healer of the family, who ducked, but was hit by another one. He gasped as his powers were being drained.

* * *

Chris and Wyatt run in the direction of their mother's shouting, to find the entrance to the cave.

They could sense the presence of their family round the corner.

And bounced off a painful barrier that sent them both flying into the cave wall, causing them to land unconscious on the hard floor of the cave.

* * *

Piper noticed her sons' arrival just in time to see them flying into solid rock.

She cursed, raising her hands to try and blast the demon into Hell. But only succeeded in blowing up a boulder and causing bits of rock to rain on everyone else.

Paige stirred from her position on the floor. She stared at Jason throwing random rocks at a demon, her sons and nieces arguing with each other while being chained to a wall, her husband avoiding raining rocks and her nephews unconscious outside the cave section they were in. She sighed and joined in the action, using her telekinesis to orb rocks at the demon, who was laughing as he drained Leo's life away. Nothing was working.

* * *

Leo passed out as the demon laughed even harder. 


	16. Oops

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Exams over for a while- therefore you all get a new chapter! Hurrah! Sorry it took so long to update. Reviews will be answered as usual! Thanks for reading… Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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16

* * *

_Previously…_

_Paige stirred from her position on the floor. She stared at Jason throwing random rocks at a demon, her sons and nieces arguing with each other while being chained to a wall, her husband avoiding raining rocks and her nephews unconscious outside the cave section they were in. She sighed and joined in the action, using her telekinesis to orb rocks at the demon, who was laughing as he drained Leo's life away. Nothing was working_

_Leo passed out as the demon laughed even harder._

_

* * *

_

Chris groaned at the thumping in his head as he felt himself being shaken by the shoulders.

"Earth to Chris!" Wyatt shook his brother harder. "HELLO!" He shouted in his ear.

"OW!" Chris sat up of his own accord and smacked his brother across the face.

"What did you do that for?" Wyatt yelled.

"Did what?" Chris asked innocently, as though he had been half awake when he smacked him.

Wyatt groaned. "I wish I had empathy."

"Trust me you don't. Remember that night when I caught hold of Mum and Dad's feelings for each other?" Chris reminded him.

"Good point!" Wyatt shuddered when he remembered what Chris had done.

Chris turned to the force field on the cave entrance. "Let's get rid of this thing!"

"How?" Wyatt asked, expecting Chris to have already come up with a plan. As he had.

"Well, you remember when Nyala had me under her control, and I nearly broke down your forcefield?"

"Yeah… so?"

"Well if I do what I did then, and you add your powers to it…"

"Ah. Ka-boom force field? I like."

Chris sighed at his brother's love of seeing things blow up.

Chris threw his telekinesis at the force field, adding his pyrokinesis to it just as Wyatt gathered a massive energy ball between his hands and let it fly towards the force field.

Chris had just enough time to duck as the cave wall shuddered under the explosion. He coughed along with Wyatt as all of the dust was sucked towards them.

Chris waved the dust away and ran into the cave along with Wyatt, shaking the dust out of his hair as he took in the situation and analyzed it subconsciously.

He waved the demon away from his Dad with his telekinesis, causing him to crash into the wall. Wyatt ran over to his Dad, and began healing him.

Chris whipped his head around as his Mum shouted, "OTHER CHRIS GET OUT!"

Chris nodded his head as Jorgead threw an energy ball at his past self. Chris winced as he remembered the feel of the energy ball.

Chris yelled at his Mum. "Its OK, that was premonition me."

Piper failed to understand, but continued trying to blow Jorgead up, with no success.

Chris looked at his cousins arguing as to how they were going to get unchained from the wall. Chris channeled his telekinesis power through his hands and blew up all of the chains, whilst avoiding hitting his cousins.

Everyone in the family turned to make sure that the children were alright.

Matt and Sam orbed to another spot in the cave as Prue used her levitation to slow her dissent to the ground. Melissa fell awkwardly on the floor, not being able to use her empathy to borrow powers yet. She groaned loudly, as her Mum Phoebe ran over to help her up.

Everything in the cave stopped, the members of the family frozen in fear.

* * *

Jorgead had Chris by the throat.

He had snuck up behind him while everyone was preoccupied with the younger Charmed children. No one had thought to look for Jorgead.

Chris wheezed as Jorgead squeezed him harder round the throat, and then swung him in front of him, using him as a shield.

"Anyone come one step further and I break his neck." The demon growled.

Chris' eyes shone with fear as his air was cut off. For his whole family to watch. To have to see this happen to him… Chris didn't want to put them through that.

He struggled, trying to get some air into his lungs, then began to panic as he wasn't getting any air.

His vision began to blur as his body screamed in agony. He NEEDED oxygen… he was going to die…

His family watched in horror as his lips became tinged with blue. His eyes shining with tears. His head lolled forward as his body tried to shut systems down… to survive a little longer…

Chris went limp as Piper roared in agony.

* * *

Chris felt his body go limp. He was floating…

Then he reformed somewhere else.

Chris kicked Jorgead from behind, causing him to drop his body in surprise. Piper blasted the demon away from her son's limp body on the floor.

Chris walked up to his body, noting just how weird it was to look at your self lying unconscious on the floor.

"Astral projection!" Paige gasped.

"Prue's power…" Piper said proudly.

"Um… guys… don't mean to be rude, but demon is over there coming back for my body again, and I don't want to go back into my real body until there is someone there to heal the effects of STRANGULATION!" Chris screamed, taking on a frequent characteristic of his mother's.

Leo, who had been fully healed by Wyatt ran up to Chris' body as the rest of the family bombarded Jorgead with all of the power that they had. The cave rippled with the amount of magic flying around the room. Jorgead still resisted them, including the flying rocks being sent at him from Jason.

Chris closed his eyes, and sort of… fell into his body. Leo instantly started healing him, and Chris sat up gasping. Leo rubbed comforting circles on his back as he leant over his shoulder and started coughing and trying to get as much air into his lungs as he could.

He stood up, rather shakily. And blasted Jorgead with a massive torrent of fire which sent the temperature in the cave soaring.

There was no demon left in the cave when the flames ebbed away.

Everyone orbed out of the cave, as Chris stared at the sandy floor of the cave. Wyatt had a lot of power, all given when the Elders saw fit. But he was being given new powers almost quicker than he could keep up with them. It didn't make sense. He decided to ask his Dad about it later. He orbed back to the manor with the rest of the family.

* * *

Barbas paced impatiently around his lair. Another demon predictably vanquished by the Halliwell family, to his advantage this time. Jorgead was after the Underworld throne- Barba's prize.

He hoped his plan would work much better this time- though the Halliwells would probably overcome it, the knowledge would be useful…

* * *

Leo waited patiently on the bed as Piper was showering in the bathroom. He picked up his wife's trousers off the floor and opened the cupboard to put them away.

There was a crystal on the shelf he had built in the cupboard. He picked it up, looking at it more closely, admiring the purple hues that changed in the sunlight coming through the window.

The crystal flashed, sending a brilliant purple light towards Leo, throwing him against the wall. He slid down the wall, eyes shut. The shower turned off as Piper called worriedly.

When they opened again, they flashed purple. He orbed out of the room- his orb lights deep purple.

* * *

Barbas smiled as the cave he was in glowed purple as Leo orbed in.

Barbas turned towards the whitelighter, smirking as he did so. "My, my Gideon…how I've waited to see you…"

Gideon smirked back in Leo's body. "Wyatt AND Chris are a threat to the greater good…"

Barbas smirked even wider. "I was hoping you would say that…"


	17. When Elders go bad

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Hope you like this chapter- sorry it's taken me so long to get it done!

* * *

17

_Previously…_

_Everyone orbed out of the cave, as Chris stared at the sandy floor of the cave. Wyatt had a lot of power, all given when the Elders saw fit. But he was being given new powers almost quicker than he could keep up with them. It didn't make sense. He decided to ask his Dad about it later. He orbed back to the manor with the rest of the family..._

_Barbas paced impatiently around his lair. Another demon predictably vanquished by the Halliwell family, to his advantage this time. Jorgead was after the Underworld throne- Barba's prize..._

_He hoped his plan would work much better this time- though the Halliwells would probably overcome it, the knowledge would be useful…_

_Leo waited patiently on the bed as Piper was showering in the bathroom. He picked up his wife's trousers off the floor and opened the cupboard to put them away._

_There was a crystal on the shelf he had built in the cupboard. He picked it up, looking at it more closely, admiring the purple hues that changed in the sunlight coming through the window._

_The crystal flashed, sending a brilliant purple light towards Leo, throwing him against the wall. He slid down the wall, eyes shut. The shower turned off as Piper called worriedly._

_When they opened again, they flashed purple. He orbed out of the room- his orb lights deep purple..._

_Barbas smiled as the cave he was in glowed purple as Leo orbed in._

_Barbas turned towards the whitelighter, smirking as he did so. "My, my Gideon…how I've waited to see you…"_

_Gideon smirked back in Leo's body. "Wyatt AND Chris are a threat to the greater good…"_

_Barbas smirked even wider. "I was hoping you would say that…"_

_

* * *

_

Gideon looked through the eyes of Leo, his eyes narrowing in deep thought. "I thought I had managed to get rid of that little twerp Chris- though it seems I will now have to deal with the younger version as well as his brother Wyatt." He almost spat the last word, making it sound like a curse, bitter at Wyatt's survival, and Chris' rebirth.

Barbas smiled and spoke smarmily. "Seems like you can't keep a _bad_ witch down…"

Gideon's forehead creased with dislike. "I still don't like you… I am only doing this for the greater good."

"As before Gideon, as before…"

"Hmmm. Well, they won't have a healer this time, not if I do something about Paige… I have me inhabiting Leo's body and neither of the boys will have a second chance at being reborn. I know that the mirror to the other universe has been broken…"

Barbas stood there smirking. He knew that this guy was a thinker- but his last plan had failed all the same.

Gideon thought for a moment longer, then a glint appeared in his eyes as he thought of a plan that satisfied him- a look that definitely didn't belong on the face of Leo- his son's lives were about to hang in the balance…

* * *

Piper walked out of the bathroom, a worried expression playing on her face. She called for her sons as she noticed that her husband was missing.

Chris was the first to orb in, closely followed by his anxious brother.

Piper looked at her sons. "Sense for your father. Now!" She added, so they would get the message that something was wrong.

Both their faces showed a negative to being able to find their Dad. Piper gasped as she noticed a purple crystal on the floor that she hadn't seen before. "Get your aunts- we need to look in the book now!"

Both her sons orbed out to fetch their aunts and to look for their father…

* * *

Leo shook off the dazed feeling he felt… He felt so tired… so very tired… Incased in the crystal, his head landed limply on the purple floor of his prison as he succumbed to the magical will to sleep…

* * *

Gideon snapped his fingers to attract Barba's attention. "I assume that you can acquire the services of some darklighters…"

Barbas nodded impatiently. "The brothers are too powerful together for a darklighter to get them. Even if they are taken by surprise, the arrows would not do damage for long- you would only be able to hit the boy without a force field, and then his brother would heal him. Even if you managed to get Wyatt, Chris can heal now as well…"

Gideon shook his head. "I know full well what they are able to do. Which is why we are going to get both brothers at once, and I will modify the arrows- they won't know what hit them! I will distract them as Leo."

Barbas grinned greedily. "I'll summon some darklighters right away…"

Gideon looked at Barbas. "The Charmed Ones and the other children are NOT to be harmed. We do not want to upset the balance…"

Barbas shrugged. "I have no interest in the others anyway."

* * *

Piper flicked through the book, trying to find some sort of clue as to what happened to her husband- the purple crystal being her only clue so far, and she was not having any luck in finding out what it was. Paige was scrying for Leo, and Phoebe was trying to think up of a spell that would summon Leo to them.

Wyatt and Chris were the other side of the attic, trying a joint sensing for their Dad. They were close to the point of exhaustion- having only battled Jorgead a few hours before.

Piper slammed the book shut. "Nothing!" She yelled exasperatedly.

The scrying crystal remained going around in circles while Phoebe's most recent spell had only succeeded in blowing up the attic chair.

'Leo' orbed into the attic in a cloud of sparkling blue orbs.

Piper ran up to him. "Where have you been?" She asked.

Phoebe and Chris exchanged looks. Phoebe spoke up. "Where have you been, Leo? I'm not sensing anything from you."

'Leo' looked at them. "I got hit by a potion when some crazy demon shimmered me down to the Underworld."

Chris and Phoebe didn't quite buy 'Leo's' theory.

"Dad?" Chris asked.

"Yes son?"

"What did the potion look like?"

'Leo' opened his mouth to answer when a group of darklighters orbed in. He stepped back, pretending to be worried.

"Darklighters!" Paige yelled, getting ready to orb any arrows away.

Wyatt threw up his shield, protecting him and his brother, while Piper raised her hands to blow the darklighters up.

'Leo' telekinetically pinned the sisters to the wall. He nodded to the darklighters. "Do it."

The darklighters grinned cockily as they loaded their crossbows. Chris and Wyatt looked over to their 'Dad'.

"Who are you?"

"Someone from your past- and technically your future, Chris." He answered cryptically.

Piper recognized that voice anywhere. "Gideon!" She thought, unable to say anything out loud as Gideon stopped them from casting spells.

Wyatt kept his shield up as the darklighters circled them.

A darklighter let loose his arrow. It sailed straight through Wyatt's shield, towards Wyatt himself. Some quick thinking from Chris caused the arrow to burst into flames and disintegrate before it hit his brother.

"Why did it get through my shield!" Wyatt yelled.

"He must have modified the arrows with us in mind. Put your shield down- no point in wasting your energy keeping it up when it's not going to be any use!" Chris replied as he telekinetically threw an arrow back at the sender, causing him to burst into flames with an angry yell.

More darklighters shimmered in.

"Damn it!" Chris yelled as he sent a torrent of flames with one hand, causing the deaths of two more darklighters, and telekinetically throwing some arrows against the wall with the other, giving his brother a chance to summon Excalibur.

Wyatt clove an arrow in two, and deflected another with another turn of the sword. 'Leo' still had the Charmed ones pinned against the wall- out of the darklighter's reach.

Chris vanquished another darklighter with the use of a mixture of his Elder lightning and pyrokinesis.

Wyatt groaned as he noticed more darklighters, dark orbing in this time, no longer needing the silence of shimmering to take them by surprise. He sent Excalibur back into its stone- lifting the sword was taking too much effort.

Chris sank to his knees, panting with exertion, still managed to get another three darklighters with their own arrows.

Wyatt blinked at two darklighters, causing them to burst into flame as he tried to help his little brother up.

He orbed a couple of arrows away from his brother, causing them to clatter uselessly on the floor. Chris stood up with some effort, using all of his will to stay standing on his two feet. He wavered on his feet a little as he caused another darklighter to burst into flames- but there seemed to be an unending supply of darklighters.

Wyatt closed his eyes for a moment, trying hard not to collapse from exhaustion. Chris looked worriedly at his brother as he telekinetically threw an arrow away from him- landing in one of the only pieces of furniture in the attic that was still intact.

Chris yelled as three arrows came towards Wyatt from three sides at once. Using a sudden burst of energy, he caused one of them to burst into flames, and managed to throw another one out of the way using his telekinesis. He couldn't get rid of the other arrow in time- he orbed in front of his brother, gasping in pain as the arrow hit him in the chest with a sickening thud.

Wyatt's eyes flew open. "Chris!" He yelled, catching his brother who was sinking down to the floor in pain- but still Chris used his lightning powers to decimate the darklighters that were left.

Wyatt roared in anger as he threw over half of the darklighters into the attic walls with a crash. The excess energy that came with that anger was lost as he was hit in the leg with another arrow. He sank down to the floor next to his little brother as the darklighters dark orbed out.

'Leo' laughed as he released the sisters from his telekinetic grip.

Piper raised her hands to blow him up, yelling "Gideon, you BASTARD!" Gideon merely laughed, sickening her from inside her husband's body.

"I'll give you time to say goodbye… don't even think about calling anyone else from the family- no-one will be able to hear you anyway, since I've taken the liberty of sealing them in a cave in the underworld- they are safe though, I have no cause to upset the balance. And the only person who can heal the boys is Leo… a whitelighter who shares their blood… and well, I guess Leo couldn't make it…" He orbed out, revealing his dark purple orbs at last.

Piper ran sobbing to her sons. Wyatt had dragged himself over to his brother, the arrow still protruding from his leg. He managed to orb some towels from the airing cupboard as he telekinetically pulled the arrow out of his brother's chest. Chris screamed in pain as the arrow was pulled out. Wyatt grabbed a towel and pressed it over the wound left by the arrow. He tried to bring the healing glow, but he was too exhausted, and the poison was starting to sap his energy.

Chris shook as he began to sweat with the onset of the fever brought on by the poison from the arrow, his wound being deeper than his brother's. His head sank to the floor as he gasped for breath, Piper having grabbed his hand and was squeezing it to let her son know that she was there for him.

Wyatt grit his teeth as his Aunt Phoebe expertly pulled the arrow out of his leg, and tried to ignore the fatigue that the poison was starting to cause. He grabbed his brother's other hand.

"Hold on Chris… Aunt Paige will heal you in no time…"

Chris shook as he fought the poison that was making its way around his body. "Y-you hold o-on t-too… b-big bro…" he stuttered.

"You took an arrow for me." Wyatt whispered. "I'm the big brother, I'm supposed to look after you not the other way round."

"I-I've ne-never bbe-en one… t-too f-follow the r..ules…" He broke off coughing as he tried to laugh.

Paige shook her head in desperation as the healing glow had no effect on her little nephew.

Phoebe looked helplessly at her. "Gideon made sure the arrow meant you can't heal them Paige…"

Piper looked at her sisters in despair as Wyatt gasped as a jolt of pain induced by the arrow coursed through his body, leaving him gasping for breath.

Chris fought against the urge to close his eyes, to slip into the darkness that seemed to want to claim him…

Wyatt crawled back to his little brother. "I love you… little bro…"

Chris opened his eyes, revealing clouded green eyes. "W-what… n-no… chee-sy… mov…ie q-quotes…?" He joked.

Wyatt was unable to answer him for a moment as he felt the poison flowing through his veins. He grabbed his brother's hand, feeling his brother grasp it weakly. Through blurring eyes, he saw his pale hands, one clasped in his brother's paper white one.

Piper screamed for her husband, hoping desperately that he would be able to come through some miracle.

"Hold on Chris…" Wyatt urged. "D-don't give up…"

"I… love you too Wyatt… and Mum… and D-dad… H-heck… I l-love the…cousins as well… a-nd… my Aunts… and Uncles…"

Wyatt grabbed his brother's hand as hard as he could. "Y-you sound l-like you're s-saying… goodbye…" he cried.

Chris's head lolled to one side as he succumbed to unconsciousness. Wyatt sank down wearily next to him as the poison began to have the same effect on him, perspiration shining on his face as his body fought the poison that was deadly to him.

"LEOOOOOOOOO!" Piper screamed.

* * *

And that is the probably one of the most evil cliffies to date- I'm sorry, but I do love beating Chris up, and darklighters are soo great at doing that! Poor brothers! I will update as soon as I possibly can though- I can't leave it like this for too long without a guilty conscience to deal with. But I hope this means you'll want to read the next chapter! 


	18. If only Wyatt had more sense

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline. The spell in this chapter is a modified spell from a Charmed episode, and there is another spell from Vahalley of the Dolls episode.

* * *

I revised this chapter a lot towards the end- there is a lot more to this chapter now! I realized that I had totally skipped the vanquishing of Gideon, and the release of Chris and Wyatt's cousins and uncles! Well, I hope that you like this version anyway! I will write the next chapter when I can- exams. Bleurgh. They're nearly over though, so hurray for then! Sorry about the wait.

* * *

_Previously…_

_Piper raised her hands to blow him up, yelling "Gideon, you BASTARD!" Gideon merely laughed, sickening her from inside her husband's body._

"_I'll give you time to say goodbye… don't even think about calling anyone else from the family- no-one will be able to hear you anyway, since I've taken the liberty of sealing them in a cave in the underworld- they are safe though, I have no cause to upset the balance. And the only person who can heal the boys is Leo… a whitelighter who shares their blood… and well, I guess Leo couldn't make it…" He orbed out, revealing his dark purple orbs at last…_

_Piper screamed for her husband, hoping desperately that he would be able to come through some miracle._

"_Hold on Chris…" Wyatt urged. "D-don't give up…"_

"_I… love you too Wyatt… and Mum… and D-dad… H-heck… I l-love the…cousins as well… a-nd… my Aunts… and Uncles…"_

_Wyatt grabbed his brother's hand as hard as he could. "Y-you sound l-like you're s-saying… goodbye…" he cried._

_Chris's head lolled to one side as he succumbed to unconsciousness. Wyatt sank down wearily next to him as the poison began to have the same effect on him, perspiration shining on his face as his body fought the poison that was deadly to him._

"_LEOOOOOOOOO!" Piper screamed…_

_

* * *

_

18

Piper found inspiration in the crystal lying next to her hand, the hand that wasn't clutching her dying son's hand. The crystal that she could feel her husband's soul inside, knew he was inside without knowing how.

Clutching the crystal she cast a spell…

_What's mine is yours,_

_What's yours is mine._

_Let our souls cross the line._

_I offer up my gift to share,_

_Switch the powers through the air._

Her sisters looked at her, as she was surrounded by swirling white lights.

The situation would have been almost comical if the boys hadn't been dying. For Leo was inside his wife's body, and was very confused. Hadn't he been stuck sleeping in a crystal prison moments before?

The expression changed to shock when he looked at his son's hand faintly clasped in Piper's hand. A hand that was attached to his son who had stopped breathing. Leo snapped out of his confusion, and set to healing his son right away, one nervous eye watching Wyatt, who was in a bad way, but his condition was not as life threatening as Chris's, since it didn't take a whitelighter to realize when someone was shot in the chest by a darklighter arrow, its going to cause a LOT of damage.

The sisters watched nervously as Leo, in Piper's body, brought the healing glow from his hands. Chris' wound slowly closed as beads of sweat trickled down Leo's face. Chris sat bolt upright, gasping for breath. He scrambled over to his brother and healed him, before Leo could get him to lie down.

Wyatt sat up slower, moaning as he tried to shake off the slightly nasty feeling left over from the fever from the poison. He smacked Chris round the head. "Don't you EVER orb in front of an arrow that is heading for me. Do you hear me! Even if it had have hit me, it wasn't going to hit me anywhere as life threatening as where it hit you! I'm your _big brother_. That means I look after you!"

Chris sat there flabbergasted.

"But thanks." Wyatt smiled at him. "No more heroics in front of me, okay. You freaked me out there!"

Chris relaxed, putting on his 'lying' mask. "Okay." Not even his brother could talk him out of saving him. Any time. Any timeline for that matter.

Piper, or Leo in Piper's body coughed loudly. Paige and Phoebe sniggered uncontrollably.

"Sorry…" Phoebe burst out laughing again. "I…"

Chris and Wyatt looked at her strangely. "What is _going on_?" Chris asked.

"Um… son…." Chris looked at his mother, or father. "Dad? Please don't tell me it's you in Mum's body?"

Wyatt groaned. Paige, who had managed to stop laughing as much as Phoebe, explained to them, "Your father's soul was stuck in that crystal there, Gideon…" Chris shuddered. "Is in your Dad's body, and sent all those darklighters after you. You and Wyatt got hit by the arrows, and Gideon said that only a whitelighter with your blood could heal you. Piper isn't a whitelighter, but she shares your blood as your mother, so switched souls and powers with your father, who has a whitelighter soul, and could heal you, in you Mum's body." She stopped to get her breath back.

Chris nodded, while Wyatt just looked confused. "Can we just get our parents in their right bodies please?"

Paige and Phoebe cast the reversal spell…

_Spell was cast_

_Now make it pass_

_Remove it now_

_Don't ask me how._

Piper arrived in the correct body. She looked around her, and then advanced towards her sons, engrossing them in a giant hug.

She stepped back. "Right. We'll deal with Gideon. Could you two free your uncles and cousins?"

Chris and Wyatt nodded, realizing that Piper didn't want them to have to deal with Gideon, especially since he was in their father's body. They did a joint sensing, and then orbed down to free their family.

Piper smiled grimly. "Let's do this." She held hands with her sisters and orbed down to the underworld.

* * *

Chris and Wyatt bounced off the force field that was flickering over the entrance to the cave that their family was in. Chris untangled himself from Wyatt's legs, spitting out the sand that had made its way into his mouth.

"Wyatt! That is the last time that I ever let you orb me. Surely you must have sensed that force field!" Chris ranted.

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders sheepishly. "Did you sense that there was a force field over the entrance?"

Chris threw up his hands in dismissal. "Whatever."

Wyatt laughed. "Guess you didn't."

Chris looked over at his cousins through the force field. "We'll get you out!"

Prue, Phoebe's eldest called back, "Hurry up! Melissa needs the toilet!"

Her little sister blushed while her cousins Matt and Sam giggled. Richard found it hard to suppress a slight smile. Jason sighed. One day, his eldest might learn some tact.

Wyatt and Chris looked at the force field. Wyatt looked at his brother. "Shall we try combined powers on this thing?" Neither of them noticed the inscription on the cave wall as they were blown backwards by the force of the repulsion by the force field.

* * *

Piper flicked her hands again, blowing up the demon's arm. "Where. Is. Gideon?" She demanded through gritted teeth.

The demon shook. "O-Ok. I'll t-tell you! Just please make that crazy witch put her hands down!"

Piper glared at him as he pointed with his other arm in the direction that they had to go. He burst into flames as she used her exploding power again.

"I wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her." Paige mumbled as they rushed forward.

Barbas flamed out of his lair as he sensed the Charmed Ones coming, leaving no trace that he had ever been there, only a Gideon in Leo's body pacing determinedly.

* * *

Wyatt moaned and clutched his leg. Noticing his brother lying unconscious on the sand, he dragged himself over to him, biting his lip nervously as his brother lay still. Chris groaned from his position on the floor as Wyatt healed his head, which had hit the rock as he was thrown backwards. The two Wyatt's snapped into one. In return Chris healed his brother's broken leg.

"Well I suggest you don't try _that_ again." Prue said sarcastically.

"Thank you for that ever _helpful_ comment Prue," Chris retorted with a more sarcastic air.

"Well, when you've finished with your sarcasm contest…look!" Wyatt pointed to the inscription on the cave wall. "I can't read it though."

Chris walked up to it. He touched the stone the symbols were carved into. He looked at the strange inscriptions, which started glowing and began swirling so fast that Chris thought he was going to be sick. But he couldn't take his eyes off the glowing symbols. His eyes glazed over as a burst of power hit him, knocking him unconscious before Wyatt could break his eye contact with the stone.

* * *

Gideon lay on the floor, pretending to be out of it as Piper came charging in. "P-Piper?" He asked, imitating Leo's voice.

Piper responded by blowing him up. Gideon cursed as he rematerialized. "Do you think I wouldn't know my own husband!" Piper yelled. Gideon responded by shooting elder bolts at her.

"It's for the greater good." He proclaimed as Paige orbed her sister away from the projectiles. The statement sounded more than odd coming from Leo's mouth.

"Now!" Piper yelled. As Paige orbed a boulder at Gideon's head, Phoebe levitated behind him, throwing the potion at him. He crumpled to the floor as the steam rose.

The sisters spoke the spell to swap Leo and Gideon's souls. Gideon was trapped in the bottle as Leo hugged his wife, thankful to be out. Leo orbed the bottle up to the elders- to get rid of Gideon for good. None of them knew he had been working with Barbas again.

* * *

Wyatt shook his brother desperately for the millionth time. "Mum! Dad!" He yelled. His aunts and parents orbed in. "Dad! Thank God!" Leo ran over to his son, hugging him.

Then he noticed Chris in his brother's arms. "What happened!" He asked shocked, trying to heal his son.

"I-I couldn't tear him away from those symbols written over there….and before I-I c-could do anything he was blasted by a wave of power!" Wyatt stuttered.

Leo ran over to the symbols. "I can't read them. They're too ancient for me to be able to read." He said disappointed.

Chris stirred. His eyes opened, the power now inside of him turning his eyes brilliant gold. It was like the sun was shining from inside his eyes, the light from them lighting up the cave, causing the Halliwell family to shield their eyes. He moved as though sleepwalking, and raising both of his hands, caused a wave of golden power to eradicate the force field. It dissolved into nothingness. The children and Paige and Phoebe's husbands rushed out to hug each other.

"C-Chris?" Wyatt asked nervously. He hated not knowing what was going on. For the person in front of him wasn't all Chris. He could feel the bond between them still, but something older, more powerful was lurking inside his brother.

Chris merely started playing with the symbols on the wall. They morphed into English.

**_There will come a time when the part of a powerful family will be trapped here_**

_**And the only way for them to be released is for the youngest twice-blessed to touch this stone**_

**_For it will be _his_ test, a test of strength_**

_**For the power that will be given to him will be irresistible**_

_**And he will be lost forever if he does not return the power**_

Piper gasped as she read the words inscribed in stone.

Wyatt reached for Chris. "You must return the power. Chris…please?"

Chris blinked twice, and then held out his hands again, causing his family to be encased in a glowing force field.

Piper and Leo yelled. "Chris! Noooo!"

Chris held out his hands again, releasing a huge wave of energy that caused the earth to shake. The cave glowed so bright that the Halliwell family in the force field had to shield their eyes. The ceiling of the cave started to fall down, and the children screamed as large rocks started to pelt the force field turning to dust, causing the cave to fill so thick with dust that no one could see anything.

The force field dissolved away. Wyatt used his powers to telekinetically blow the dust away, clearing their vision. Revealing fallen rocks across the cave floor.

Wyatt orbed all of the rocks into the ocean to reach his brother, who lay under them. He didn't dare breathe as he picked his way over to his brother.

Chris lay there stretched across the floor, his chest barely moving, gash wounds covering his body, and a large bruise on his temple from the impact of the rocks. Wyatt and Leo started healing him, the golden glow stretching over his body, knitting the torn flesh together. Chris' eyes fluttered open, Wyatt hugging him tightly when his usual green eyes glowed tiredly back at him. Leo picked his youngest son up, turning around when the stone glowed again.

_**Test passed.**_

Leo sighed relieved as his son snuggled into him and started breathing softly as he fell asleep.

* * *

The next day the Halliwell family sat in the lounge, arguing over what DVD to rent. Piper had agreed to let them watch a DVD, so Chris could recuperate. Anything to take his mind off practicing his powers, his new responsibilities. After a quick vote, and some cheating from Wyatt, using his telekinesis to force two of his cousins to vote for Pirates of the Caribbean, the afore mentioned movie was due to be picked up from the rental store. But no one could agree whose turn it was to walk over and pick it up. Everyone volunteered Wyatt, two of his cousins more eagerly, since they had wanted to watch Daredevil.

Wyatt being Wyatt however, didn't want to get up and walk to the rental store. Before Chris could shout "Personal consequences!" Wyatt had cast a spell to make the DVD come to him. Which, Wyatt's spells being, well Wyatt's spells, had _backfire_ written ALL over it. And the luck of the Halliwell family being as it was at the time, the spell backfired just as the rest of Gideon's/ Barbas's darklighters dark orbed in, since Barbas had figured that while Gideon had predictably failed, he might as well use the rest of the darklighters which he had jolly well paid for, if only for entertainment.

The darklighters got carried away with the Halliwells by the spell.

Wyatt looked at his clothes, and noticed the sword hanging from his belt. "Cool! We're actually on a pirate ship!"

Piper, who was busy throwing up over the side of the ship in a man's body, glanced up from being seasick to give her son the patented, 'you're grounded mister' stare, that was unmistakable, whatever body she was in.

Wyatt gulped, then stared as a gorgeous woman stormed up the ship at speed, then slapped him across the face. The woman glared at Wyatt through chocolate brown eyes. "I am so going to KILL you Wyatt!" Wyatt gaped.

"Chris?"


	19. Pirates and Mermaids

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

* * *

Sorry about the lateness of this fanfic…ducks flying pans

I hope you like it!

* * *

_Previously…_

_The darklighters got carried away with the Halliwells by the spell._

_Wyatt looked at his clothes, and noticed the sword hanging from his belt. "Cool! We're actually on a pirate ship!" _

_Piper, who was busy throwing up over the side of the ship in a man's body, glanced up from being seasick to give her son the patented, 'you're grounded mister' stare, that was unmistakable, whatever body she was in._

_Wyatt gulped, then stared as a gorgeous woman stormed up the ship at speed, then slapped him across the face. The woman glared at Wyatt through chocolate brown eyes. "I am so going to KILL you Wyatt!" Wyatt gaped._

"_Chris?"_

_

* * *

_

19

Chris simply glared at him through the brown eyes of the body he was in. A parrot flew down from the mast.

"Aaak! Wyatt…You're grounded….Aaak!" It squawked.

"DAD!" Chris gasped.

The parrot, or Leo, sat on Wyatt's shoulder. Leo was half tempted to peck his son on the head with his newly acquired beak, but decided to take the pacifist route- since pecking Wyatt wasn't going to solve anything.

Chris looked around the pirate ship that they were on. "Errr. Guys... Where is everyone else!"

Piper, Leo and Wyatt followed Chris' gaze around the ship. Empty.

"Does anyone know how to sail a ship?" Wyatt asked cautiously.

"Why? Aak!" Leo asked.

"BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO HIT THAT SHIP THAT'S SAILING NEXT TO US!"

Many jeering faces of ferocious pirates looked at them from the other ship, starting pull back their arms to throw the grappling hooks over to their ship. Leo flew over to the pirates and started pecking them on the heads, desperately trying to hamper their progress.

The first hook caught on the sail, ripping it in half as it made its descent to the deck. Chris, who was running up to the wheel of the ship- finding his process seriously hampered by the heavy dress he was wearing- not to mention the corset, tripped over the deck as the heavy hook started pulling back to the other ship. Chris's foot caught in the rope just as the hook smashed through the side of the ship.

He gasped in surprise as he went flying off the side of the ship into the sea.

"CHRIS!" Piper screamed.

Chris and the hook disappeared under the waves as Wyatt just missed grabbing the end of the rope.

Wyatt looked at his hand as though it had betrayed him, and readied himself to jump in the waves after his brother to save him.

A sword at his throat stopped that. Wyatt tried to reach for his sword with his other hand, but found his sword had already been taken.

Piper screamed for Chris as her and Wyatt were dragged onto the other ship.

The pirates jeered as Piper and Wyatt were pulled in front of the Captain.

The Captain laughed. "Now get that parrot to stop or I'll slit your throats."

Leo fluttered to the mast at a nod from Piper.

"Sling 'em below deck. They'll walk the plank tomorrow."

Piper took one last look at the waves before she was yanked below deck. Leo flew out to sea, desperately trying to find some sign of his youngest son.

* * *

Chris frantically tried to untangle his ankle from the rope as the hook dragged him below the waters' surface. He pulled at the rope, trying to will it free. None of his powers worked, the spell doing a good job of teaching Wyatt the meaning of personal consequences. Chris always wondered why he seemed to be the one who was penalized for it.

Chris held his breath, as he noticed precious bubbles of oxygen were escaping to the surface as he was being pulled deeper.

The weaving of the spell flickered; putting Chris back into his normal form and clothing, then flickered back to the illusion of the woman's body he was stuck in, the confinement of the corset and heavy skirts.

Chris started to suffocate from lack of oxygen. If he took one breath, everything would be fine…

The logical part of his brain snapped back. Filling his lungs with water would save him would it?

But I would die quicker…

Since when do you give up?

Chris took one last frantic pull at the rope. The illusion of the woman's body completely disappeared as all went black…

* * *

Wyatt tried to hold back the sobs as he realized that it was entirely his fault. His stupid spell had backfired- as most of his spells did and his brother was lost to the waves. Piper was hugging her sisters, trying to get some strength from them. All of them were in the bottom deck of the ship- just Piper, Leo, Wyatt and Chris were on the other ship, the others had found themselves in the ship, powerless. No-one had the heart to berate Wyatt for what he had done.

Melissa hugged Wyatt as he broke down and started crying.

* * *

Chris woke with a huge gasp of air to find himself on a giant scallop shell which seemed to be fashioned as a bed. He looked out of the window to notice with a shock that he was still underwater. It seemed that he was in some sort of airlock.

He looked at his body, noticing with relief that the dress was gone- he was back in the jeans he had been in before Wyatt cast the spell.

Wyatt! He looked around for a way out. He had to find his family, to try and tell them that he was still alive. He tried to orb out. No use. His powers were still gone. The last view his family must have had of him was when he sunk under the waves.

He walked towards the doorway, which was just a hole in the wall really. He noticed that the doorway was not quite what it seemed. He touched it. The surface rippled. Something, a spell or amulet was keeping the water from entering the room.

He stepped back when something swam through the doorway.

* * *

Leo managed to avoid the swipes of the pirates as he flew below deck to the rest of his family. His tired wings failed him and he collapsed on Piper's lap.

"Aak. Couldn't see him…Aak." A single tear fell from Leo's parrot eye as he passed out.

Piper screamed in anguish. The spell rippled, her powers returning for a moment. They blasted a hole in the side of the ship, which started to sink.

Everyone clung onto a piece of the ship as it splintered. Piper kept a close hold on her husband, who hadn't stirred since his collapse.

* * *

Chris stepped back as the water started flowing into the room. An air bubble formed around him as three mermaids swam into the room, giggling and playing with their hair.

"Hello… Chris." The mermaids giggled again. Chris wondered if they giggled that way all of the time. Instead he asked them how they knew his name.

"We heard someone call your name as you fell into the sea…"

"As you came to us…"

Chris wondered where this conversation was going.

"I didn't come to you. I was pulled into the water by that hook thing."

One of them put her hand through the air bubble to stroke his face. "Everything happens for a reason…Chris…"

Chris tried not to recoil from her touch. "I need to find my family. They think that I'm dead."

"We're your family now Chris…"

"But I can't live underwater for the rest of my life. What can I eat? How can I breathe? And you can never replace my real family." Chris said adamantly.

The mermaids giggled. "You'll change your mind… Once you become one of us."

"A merman! I can't be a merman!" he exclaimed. He started beating the sides of the air bubble, which to him had become as strong as steel. The surface rippled but refused to give way.

The mermaid stroked his face. "Sleeep…" She whispered.

"B-But I c-can't…be a…merman…" Chris yawned, trying to fight the urge to sleep.

"Sleeeep…Sleeeep…." All three of the mermaids swan around the air bubble, urging Chris to fall asleep so they could make the change.

Chris' eyes slid shut as he succumbed to sleep.

The mermaids started their work. One of them pulled the stopper out of a potion bottle. She held Chris' nose until his mouth opened, then poured the entire contents down his throat, making sure he drank every last drop.

The air bubble glowed as the other two mermaids held their hands to it, working their magic. Their hands passed through the air bubble and they held one of Chris's hands each, causing the glow to pass into him.

Chris glowed from within, the change starting. The air bubble dissipated as he was able to breathe on his own in the water. The mermaids carried him over to the bed, laying him gently on it as he slept through the change.

* * *

Wyatt clung desperately to his part of the ship, stuck out in the middle of the ocean with none of his family around him. He looked around him frantically.

He was alone.


	20. Watching Dreams

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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Sorry about the lateness of this fanfic…I spent a whole week working, including Saturday, and then spent a week and a bit in France, with no access to anything resembling a computer! Hope you enjoy this! The next chapter should be a lot quicker:)

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_Previously…_

_Chris tried not to recoil from her touch. "I need to find my family. They think that I'm dead."_

"_We're your family now Chris…"_

"_But I can't live underwater for the rest of my life. What can I eat? How can I breathe? And you can never replace my real family." Chris said adamantly._

_The mermaids giggled. "You'll change your mind… Once you become one of us."_

"_A merman! I can't be a merman!" he exclaimed. He started beating the sides of the air bubble, which to him had become as strong as steel. The surface rippled but refused to give way…_

_Wyatt clung desperately to his part of the ship, stuck out in the middle of the ocean with none of his family around him. He looked around him frantically._

_He was alone._

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_

20

Wyatt clung to the piece of ship, trying to resist the urge to just let go. Then everyone's life would be better.

He turned around as a giggle echoed round him. There was a splash behind him. But there was nothing there.

"Who's there?" Wyatt yelled. "Show yourself!"

A mermaid's head popped out of the waves. She giggled, playing with her hair. "Hello." She said musically.

Someone else giggled to Wyatt's left. "Follow me…" She whispered.

Wyatt shrugged then kicked to the direction she was leading him.

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Piper hauled Leo higher onto the large piece of ship she was clinging to. The spell had failed in keeping Leo as a parrot and he was much heavier than she remembered. For some reason the spell still managed to keep them in this place though- even if their outward appearances appeared the same as usual. She could see the rest of the family on the horizon; they had managed to find a small boat and were calling for them. Piper yelled back, using her combustion power to explode the water and propel them forward- hopefully keeping sharks away from them.

Piper held back her tears as she noticed that Wyatt wasn't in the boat. And neither was Chris. They hadn't found him. She had been hoping…

Phoebe clasped her sister's hand. "Don't worry. I know Chris is safe. I can tell."

Piper looked at her miserably. "I now, I haven't felt…But for how long? I won't be happy till my sons are safe in my arms."

"Where's Wyatt?" Melissa asked.

Piper shook her head. "I don't know…"

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Chris woke up. He was confused. Very confused. He had a _tail_. For some reason he couldn't remember why he wasn't used to having a tail, but something told him he had something else…something used to move on land? He wiggled his tail, and then swam off the bed, as if he had always had one. The scales shimmered in the underwater light, the water parting way for him as though he was master of the sea. He swam to the mirror, taking in his features. "Who am I?" He asked his reflection. "I don't know you."

The airlock rippled as a mermaid swam in. "Hello…" She tittered, swimming up to the mirror and picking up the hairbrush. She began brushing Chris' hair, who frowned in confusion.

"Who are you? Who am _I_?" He asked.

"I'm Coral. And you silly, are Rain."

Chris nodded. Somehow that made sense. He had a faint memory of… and then it was gone. It frustrated him until he looked at his reflection again. So pretty…he became absorbed in looking at himself.

"Come on!" Coral exclaimed. "Let's go see the sun…"

Chris followed her through the airlock.

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"Follow me…" Wyatt frowned as the mermaid went underwater. How was he supposed to follow her now? Not that it wasn't a crazy idea in the first place. She had disappeared and he was just as lost as he had been before. He saw a boat in the distance, and after a moment he decided to risk it and try to get the people's attention- did he really care if they were pirates anyway?

He gasped as his Uncle Jason pulled him into the boat. His Mum and Dad hugged him.

"Now we have to find Chris." said his cousin Prue.

"Chris! Where are you!" yelled Piper.

A giggle echoed around the boat. A pretty little mermaid stuck her head above the waves. She nodded to Phoebe, who she recognised as having been one of them. She flicked her hair back. She was holding someone's hand.

Wyatt's mouth dropped open in shock as Chris stuck his head out of the waves too. "Chris!" he gasped.

Chris frowned in confusion. It was as though he knew the strange people in the boat, two of whom seemed to being crying with some sort of emotion that he couldn't put his finger on. Relief? He hated to correct the young guy who had called him Chris.

"My name's Rain. What's yours?"

"Rain?" Wyatt looked at his parents who looked bewildered.

"Yes, Rain, and you are?"

"Wyatt. Don't you remember me?"

Chris opened his mouth to say no, but something was stopping him, something deep inside, like recognition?

"Gotta go!" exclaimed Coral, who dragged Chris back underwater, before he had a chance to remember anything, his chain of thought broken. His family gasped as they saw his tail.

Leo groaned. "A merman?"

Paige orbed Chris back into the boat by calling his name.

Chris looked at them shocked. "What are you?"

His cousin Sam held his nose. "You smell of _fish_." he whined. His brother Matt elbowed him.

"No, you're the one who smells of fish." He corrected him.

Wyatt looked down at his brother's tail as Coral swam back to the boat with the other mermaids.

"C'mon Rain…"

Chris went to dive back into the sea, but Phoebe held him back.

Piper looked furiously at the mermaids. "What the hell do you think you are doing? I'm his _Mother_."

Chris gaped. _She_ was his Mother? Then why was he a merman?

"She's lying Rain." Coral called. "Come with us!"

Chris ignored them, looking at a man in the boat. "Are _you_ my Dad?" He whispered.

Leo nodded. Chris' memories started flooding back to him.

"Mum? Dad? Wy?" He asked, and then looked around at his Aunts, Uncles and cousins. He remembered them. He gasped as some of his more painful memories come to him. He brought them under control, and then felt his powers come back to him. He sighed, letting the magic flow through him. His tail flickered into a pair of legs, and then flickered back again.

Coral and her mermaid friends starting bursting into tears. Chris dived into the water to meet them.

"Why did you do this to me?" He asked.

"We were lonely… we have no mermen…" Coral sobbed.

Chris used his empathy combined with his merman powers to search the surrounding area, noticing with satisfaction that the demons/ pirates had gone down with the ship. He found what he was looking for. Other mermen.

"There _are_ mermen, due east as the fish swim."

The other mermaids wasted no time in waving goodbye as they swam off. Coral kissed Chris on the cheek, which proceeded to blush furiously. "Goodbye…" She whispered. "The spell is broken…"

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Everyone held on as they were whirled back into the manor. Wyatt groaned as he hit the floorboards full whack, not thinking to orb out of the way.

Everyone turned from their positions on the manor living room floor to look at Wyatt. There was an uncomfortable silence.

"You made me a woman?" Chris exclaimed. "Then a merman!" Wyatt could tell that he was teasing him, which was confirmed when Chris threw a pillow at him.

Piper wasn't going to forgive her son so easily.

Phoebe jumped up. "Who wants fast food! I want fast food!" Everyone looked at Phoebe, who had never, ever expressed a desire to eat fast food. She flapped her hands at Paige, who groaned and proceeded to orb everyone out. Apart from Chris, Wyatt, Leo and Piper, who were left in the living room.

"But I want fast food…" Wyatt grumbled, since Piper never let him near the stuff. Bad move.

Piper almost turned red before yelling at Wyatt. "Just, just go to bed without any food at all. Perhaps that'll teach you to stop casting spells for personal gain. You nearly killed your brother and got him turned into a merman in the process!"

Wyatt looked at his father pleadingly, since he hadn't been sent to bed without his dinner since he was about _four_. Leo held a united front with his wife. Wyatt muttered something under his breath and stomped loudly up the stairs, slamming his bedroom door shut. Chris looked uncomfortably at his mother, who shooed him up to his room.

Piper turned to make dinner with a sigh. When would Wyatt learn?

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Piper picked up the ladle and proceeded to pour gravy over each of the dinners on the plates, three of them, since she was going to stick Wyatt's dinner in the microwave until she could talk some sense into him.

Little did she know she was being watched. Another one of Barba's demons had been sent on a special mission. Barbas wanted to learn how best to imitate the Halliwell family- from Chris' point of view. For his plan to work he had to get all the details correct. Chris had an annoying habit of having a fine eye for detail.

Piper walked over to the microwave to put Wyatt's dinner in it. While her back was turned, the demon stealthily crept up to the plates, crumbling human tranquillisers onto Chris' plate, whose plate was obvious to the demon since Piper had mumbled something under her breath that Chris didn't like runner beans. He faded into the background magically as Piper turned back round.

She called Chris down to eat with her and Leo at the table; since even if the whole family wasn't there, with their _fast food_, (she grimaced at the thought of it) she liked to have a proper family sit down.

Chris and Leo tucked into their food avidly, since in their opinion Piper's food was much better than a fast food chain concoction. Chris took a sip of water from his glass and yawned, an ear splitting yawn that made Piper fear irrationally that he could swallow the whole table.

"Tired peanut?" She asked.

Chris nodded; the movement hard for him. He felt so sluggish.

"Go on up to bed. You've been through a lot. Me and Dad will tidy up the dishes."

Chris smiled, since although he would do anything for his Mum, washing the dishes was not the best thing in the world.

"Thanks Mum." He gave one of his smiles that he knew made his Mum's heart melt and orbed up to his bedroom.

When in his bedroom, he found it very hard to keep his eyes open as he pulled on his pyjamas. He fell asleep on top of the bed, the tranquillisers coming into effect fully before he could pull up his covers.

An ominous smile passed invisibly in front of Chris. The demon materialised into visible view. He pulled out a syringe and tapped the needle before inserting the murky green fluid into Chris' arm. Demons had modernised. In his drugged state, Chris didn't feel a thing. The demon faded as footsteps came up to the door. Piper opened the door cautiously, not wanting to wake her precious peanut.


	21. Deadly Virus

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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Hope you enjoy this chappie:) see, I put it up real soon :)

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_Previously…_

_Piper almost turned red before yelling at Wyatt. "Just, just go to bed without any food at all. Perhaps that'll teach you to stop casting spells for personal gain. You nearly killed your brother and got him turned into a merman in the process!"…_

…_When in his bedroom, he found it very hard to keep his eyes open as he pulled on his pyjamas. He fell asleep on top of the bed, the tranquillisers coming into effect fully before he could pull up his covers._

_An ominous smile passed invisibly in front of Chris. The demon materialised into visible view. He pulled out a syringe and tapped the needle before inserting the murky green fluid into Chris' arm. Demons had modernised. In his drugged state, Chris didn't feel a thing. The demon faded as footsteps came up to the door. Piper opened the door cautiously, not wanting to wake her precious peanut…_

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21

Piper smiled as she saw Chris sleeping on the bed. He had fallen asleep before managing to get into bed. He looked so young when he was asleep, looking his fourteen years, rather than the twenty odd years or so he portrayed on his face and in his eyes whilst awake. His long, black eyelashes fluttered slightly in his sleep. Piper called softly to Leo, and together they managed to manoeuvre him into bed. Piper gently tucked his sheet over him. Chris moaned softly in his sleep. The sound twisted Piper's heart. Even in his dreams he wasn't free from the destiny that he had been given. If only she could give him a normal life!

Leo brushed his son's cheek softly. Chris flinched slightly from the touch, but Leo managed to feel the warming temperature of his face. He put his hand on his forehead, feeling that he was starting to burn up. Leo's memory instantly flicked to Chris falling into the sea. He must have caught something when he had gotten so wet. He made a mental note to try and find out why Wyatt's personal consequence spells seemed to backfire on Chris rather than Wyatt. He frowned, whispering to Piper to get some cool cloths to dampen Chris' forehead. Piper bit her lip nervously. She wasn't sure if she could handle all the misfortune that seemed to fall on her son. Maybe someone was after him?

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Wyatt yelled in fury as another demon was vanquished by Excalibur. He had orbed down to the underworld. He was going to kill every last demon. Every demon that might kill his brother. He had a debt to pay. He _owed_ his brother for the misery he had caused him. His brother had thought he was going to die, suffocated by the waves that had all been the fault of himself and his stupid spell. All because he couldn't be bothered to walk down to the rental store. He was going to show his mother and father that he could be a good brother to Chris. He swung round as two demons attacked him at once. One from the front and another from the back. Excalibur rang with power as he blocked the blows.

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The demon watched Piper and Leo from the shadows, examining the effect of the injection on Chris. It was like a virus. His immune system was fighting it, but since the cause wasn't purely magical- a human virus altered using magic- Leo would not be able to heal him, his powers unable to deal with the hybrid virus. He smiled. Barbas would be pleased. He would be able to watch Chris' dreams as they unfolded, the dreams of _the thing that scared him the most_. And Leo and Piper would not be able to detect the virus' true potential.

The demon felt Barbas call him. Piper walked in the door with cool cloths and turned as the air behind her seemed to get warmer, but he was already gone. Piper shrugged and passed the cool flannel to Leo, who placed it on Chris' forehead.

"If he gets much worse Leo, heal him." Piper whispered. Normally she liked to let the children's immune systems fight it off- but when they reached a certain level of sickness she always folded and let Leo heal them. Leo nodded in agreement, gently mopping his son's forehead, as Chris stirred in his sleep, cringing from the flannel as though it would hurt him.

Piper and Leo held hands and watched over their son.

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"Well, well…" Barbas muttered as he watched Chris in his pool. He turned as his demon shimmered in.

"Yes, my lord?" He asked.

"We need to up the dosage. Inject him again."

"Are you sure my lord? No-one has ever survived that high a dosage." The demon's tone was flat, no hint of concern- after all, he was a demon.

"He is strong. His dreams are troubled, I can sense that. But as of yet- I cannot see them, he is fighting me off subconsciously- all the test subjects of the virus…their nightmares were plain to me by now…in my pool... Up the dosage."

"Yes my lord. How will I deal with Piper and Leo?"

"Leave that to me." Barbas answered cryptically.

The demon shimmered out, leaving Barbas muttering to himself over his pool.

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Piper and Leo looked concernedly at Chris as his fever started to rise.

"Shall I heal him?" Leo asked his wife.

"Wait half an hour- give his immune system a chance." Piper chewed on her lip nervously. She always had to fight the impulse to scream at Leo to heal his sons as soon as they had so much as a cold. But she knew better. Leo considered waking his son to give him some water.

The demon shimmered into the corner of Chris' room, waiting for Barbas to distract Piper and Leo. A few seconds would be all he needed.

His distraction came.

Piper and Leo turned to face the open doorway as blue orbs flickered in the hallway. Wyatt formed and collapsed in a heap.

The demon tensed as Piper and Leo ran to aid their son, who was bleeding unceremoniously on the wooden floor from a stab wound to the back. Wyatt's face was pale from the loss of blood. It was a miracle he had been able to make it back to the manor.

Leo turned Wyatt over gently and held his glowing hands over the wound, which began to slowly heal, the flesh knitting itself together. Piper was beginning to feel _very, very_ stressed.

The demon, meanwhile, became visible so he could put his full concentration on Chris, pulled out his syringe and crept up to Chris' bedside. He tapped the needle and inserted it in his arm for the second time. The fluid drained from the syringe into Chris, who slept on, the tranquillisers having been the strongest the demon could acquire.

Piper turned around as she heard her youngest son cry out softly in his sleep. The upped dosage of the virus had catapulted him into his worst nightmare faster than he could fight it off. The demon swore and threw a fireball at Piper, having realised he had been discovered. Piper froze the fireball, got Leo to pull the almost fully healed Wyatt out of the way, and unfroze it. The fireball exploded harmlessly into the wall. Piper raised her hands and all that was left of the demon was a shriek of anger and a pile of dust on the floorboards. She ran over to her youngest son, fearing the worst.

Wyatt sat up groggily. For some reason the demons had grown in number when he was fighting them and one of them had managed to stab him in the back. For some other unknown reason they hadn't finished him off there and then. He turned to his mother, who was shouting at Leo to heal Chris as some demon had injected him- maybe with poison. Wyatt realised with a gasp that he had been the distraction. Yet again it was _his_ fault that Chris was hurt. He scrambled to his knees to help his father heal his brother.

Leo shook his head in frustration as the glowing had no effect on Chris' high temperature or the nightmare that he seemed to be held in. "Something's blocking me."

"Me too." Wyatt cried.

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Barbas laughed as Chris' nightmare unfolded in his pool.

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Chris mumbled incoherently in his sleep, as Leo tried to wake him up. Chris recoiled from his touch, falling to the bed weakly and entangling himself in his sheets, caught in his nightmare. Piper grabbed Leo's emergency doctor's kit from under their bed and ran back to her husband with it.

Leo threw the box open, grabbing the torch and shining it in his son's eyes, which were very, very dilated, almost all pupils. "He's been drugged. Maybe tranquillisers? That's why I can't wake him up!"

"How!" Piper gasped.

A memory flickered in front of her eyes. Chris… suddenly very sleepy after eating.

"His food!" She exclaimed at the same time as Leo.

Leo frowned. How could he give his son the drink of water he so desperately needed to replace lost fluids if he couldn't manage to calm him down enough to avoid him choking? Or even wake him up?

"MUM!" Chris yelled, tears falling down his cheeks. His arms flailed and Piper was thrown violently to the wall by his telekinesis. Wyatt managed to throw his force field up. Chris' telekinesis hit his force field like a sledge hammer. Wyatt wondered what was so bad in his nightmares that made Chris use every ounce of his might as his force field almost buckled under the force of the power behind his telekinesis.

Leo healed the deep gash that had formed on Piper's head. "Ow." She whispered.

Wyatt managed to pin Chris' arms down. Chris fought against him, his nightmares giving him strength even in his feverish state.

Nothing they tried could calm him down. His temperature had risen to an alarming level. Leo grabbed the syringe from his medical kit, and drew up the contents of a bottle into the syringe. He tapped the needle with the same precision that the demon had used. Worry flickered across his features as he saw the puncture marks in Chris' arm from his previous injections by the demon. He reached for his other arm, and the fluid went into his youngest son.

"Hopefully this will lower his fever."

Piper's face was strained, the worry lines evident on her face. She caught the uncertainty behind Leo's words. They were dealing with the unknown. He could not be sure that the fever would respond to normal treatment.

Wyatt held his brother's hand, or rather tried to, as Chris weakly tried to escape from the horrors he was facing in his dreams. His temperature stubbornly refused to go down. His forehead was burning hot to the touch every time Leo felt it. Chris kept shaking off the cool flannels that were placed on his forehead. A thin sheen of sweat shone on his face as his body tried desperately to fight off the virus. His body shook with the effort it was taking to battle with the highest dosage anyone had ever been given of the virus.

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Barbas chuckled to himself as the nightmares played in Chris' head were reflected in his pool. He knew he was taking a lot of effort to get to Chris- but he was worth every demon he lost. He was the glue that held the other people in the Halliwell family together. He was the most powerful one in the family- perhaps even more powerful than Wyatt. But what made him weak were his nightmares. The plagues of the past and the uncertain future were consistently on his mind. His devotion to his family caused him to put them above himself every time. His fears were always snapping at his heels- and Barbas was going to be the one that was going to defeat him using them. Defeat the Halliwells and gain so much power in the Underworld- perhaps even become more powerful than the last source. Defeating Chris would mean that the rest of the family would fall apart. He could already feel Piper's fear for her son rise by the day. He tasted it. Relished in the delicacy. Soon, he promised himself. Soon. He smiled as he turned back the pool…Learning…


	22. Evil Dreams

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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Hiya everybody! Hope you enjoy this instalment of my fanfic:) not kept waiting so long again eh:)

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_Previously…_

_…"Well, well…" Barbas muttered as he watched Chris in his pool. He turned as his demon shimmered in…_

_"Yes, my lord?" He asked._

_"We need to up the dosage. Inject him again."_

_"Are you sure my lord? No-one has ever survived that high a dosage." …_

_…"MUM!" Chris yelled, tears falling down his cheeks. His arms flailed and Piper was thrown violently to the wall by his telekinesis. Wyatt managed to throw his force field up. Chris' telekinesis hit his force field like a sledge hammer. Wyatt wondered what was so bad in his nightmares that made Chris use every ounce of his might as his force field almost buckled under the force of the power behind his telekinesis…_

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21

_Chris gasped as his dreams tortured him. So real… He cried out again as the fireballs flew towards his family. Phoebe was hit again, and again, and again. Her lifeless eyes stared up at him, almost accusingly. "You failed to save me…" She seemed to hiss at him._

_Chris backed away from her and slipped on the blood that was all over the floor, banging his knees hard as he fell. He sobbed as Paige's body lay sprawled in front of him, her neck twisted unnaturally by her broken neck. Chris scrambled to his feet. He had to reach his Mum…_

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Piper stroked Chris' head as he twisted and cried out. "So much blood…" He muttered so softly Piper had to strain to hear the words.

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_Wyatt stood over Piper in the attic. His mother. Chris cried out as he saw the evil in his brother's eyes. Surely he couldn't… Last time it wasn't Wyatt that had killed his Mum, it was demons… this must be a demon. Right? Wyatt could never kill his Mum… it was his Mum's death that had tipped him over the edge last time. Wyatt pulled Excalibur out of the stone, he was mesmerised by the ring of his own sword, the blade glinting maliciously in the light. _

"_Wyatt!" Leo called out. "Not your Mum… Not Piper!" He cried. Wyatt looked at his father annoyed, interrupted by his glorification of his own sword's power._

_Chris couldn't deflect the energy ball that hit his Dad in the chest, despite throwing all his telekinesis behind it. The light died in Leo's eyes as the hope that Chris had had faded. Chris closed his eyes against his father, who was beyond help now. But his Mum…_

"_No, no, no, no, no… please not mum… please not mum Wyatt…"_

"_Hello little brother…" Wyatt looked at him coldly._

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"DAD!" Chris yelled. Wyatt had to throw up his force field to protect every one again from his telekinesis. He noticed with worry that the force- although it was clear Chris was putting everything behind it- wasn't as strong as it had been. Chris was losing his battle with the virus.

He dropped his force field to let his parents tend to his brother.

Leo shined the torch in Chris' eyes again; there was no response from his pupils.

Piper called her sisters. Paige orbed in with Phoebe- Phoebe had a fried chip half way to her mouth, which she dropped to the floor in shock at the sight of her nephew. Both sisters went up to the attic to bring down the Book of Shadows wordlessly. They had lost count of the amount of times that they had looked up something in the book to save their little nephew.

Chris' eyes flew open, unseeing, tears streaming from them. He began struggling violently.

"No, no, no, no, no… please not mum… please not mum Wyatt…" he murmured.

"Sh…sh, I'm here sweetie, I'm here…" Piper tried to calm him down, to no avail.

A flash of pain flickered across Wyatt's features. Yet again, his fault. He kicked at the wall. Even in Chris' dreams, Wyatt somehow managed to be the cause of his brother's pain.

Piper and Leo ignored Wyatt's outburst on the wall, focusing on their son who was most in need.

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_Wyatt held out his hand, causing Chris to stand up, and turned his head by using his telekinesis._

_Chris whimpered._

"_Don't you want to watch, little brother? After all, I owe the new me to you... If I hadn't found out from you that I could shed my worthless Halliwell heritage and become…this…"_

"_I tried to save you…" Chris whispered._

_Wyatt caught his words. "I…don't…need…saving…" He said through gritted teeth. He pulled back the blade of Excalibur._

_Piper turned her head round to face Chris. "I love you…" she smiled at him, as though she was promising she would always be with him._

"_No…" Chris breathed._

"_Yes…" Wyatt said, as he thrust the blade through his mother's heart._

_Chris howled as he broke away from Wyatt's telekinesis, charging at his evil brother. The only emotion he could allow himself to feel was hate, the pain was unbearable._

"_I…hate…you!" He gasped between the punches he aimed at his brother._

_Wyatt grabbed his arms and wrestled him to the floor._

"_Now, now little brother…" He uncorked a potion bottle; Chris could sense the evil that emanated from it. Coils of black twisted from the bottle, trying to reach Chris._

"_What are you doing!" Chris yelled._

"_Paying you the favour…since I owe this new power to you…you can share my era with me…I'm turning you evil."_

"_I thought that there is only power?" Chris retorted._

"_Yes. But I want you by my side…together. We would be unstoppable."_

"_No."_

"_Like you have a choice…"_

_Wyatt lowered the potion bottle to Chris' lips._

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Leo clutched the glass of water, trying to persuade Chris to accept some, which was proving difficult. He managed to get some water in Chris' mouth, but Chris spat it out.

"You'll never turn me, Wyatt…never…" Chris murmured.

Paige stood in the doorway, having an idea.

"Water!" She yelled, the water from inside the glass turning into blue lights. "Chris' stomach!" Leo looked relieved.

"Eww." Phoebe muttered.

"Anything?" Piper shot a glance at the doorway.

"Nothing. No mention of a demon that can cause this." Paige broke the bad news. "We're going to try magic school." She orbed out with Phoebe as Piper nodded tensely.

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_Wyatt frowned as Chris spat out the little potion he had managed to get down his throat. Chris struggled despite the telekinesis Wyatt kept trying to use on him._

_Wyatt gave up and just orbed the potion straight down Chris' throat._

_Chris choked as the potion slimed down his throat._

_Wyatt stood back as Chris started shaking, trying to fight the irresistible urges of the potion. Wyatt smirked as Chris screamed; one of the effects of the potion was that it hurt to fight against it._

_He admired the strength of his brother for holding out so long- for most people the effects were instantaneous. Chris faded into unconsciousness from the effort it was taking to resist. He was only aware of the internal battle he was raging. He kept trying to knock back the tendrils of black that kept trying to taint his soul._

_The tendrils tugged at his soul, and he was drowning…drowning in an endless pool of black as his consciousness was altered. His morals switched. After a while he stopped fighting. Gave into the alluring black of the dark. _

_Wyatt watched as his brother slowly opened his eyes._

"_How do you feel little brother?" He asked._

_Chris sat up, his eyes sharp with malice, a storm black as night raging furious in the green orbs, flickering from cold green to endless darkness. "I've never felt better…"_

_Wyatt smiled._

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_

Chris started screaming in anguish, to the horror of his parents and Wyatt. For endless minutes he seemed to be fighting an internal battle.

He stopped struggling, his weak body falling to the sheets that were tangled around him.

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Barbas looked down at his pool as the image faded. His plan had taken an unexpected turn. Upping the dosage had changed everything. Such a high dose had made Chris believe in what had been happening. Entirely. It was as though he had lived his worst nightmare.

"Hmmm…" he muttered. He smiled, in the same twisted way that Chris' dream Wyatt had. Chris was evil.


	23. Evil Awakening

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

Sorry this next chapter took so long, but here it is!

_Previously…_

_The tendrils tugged at his soul, and he was drowning…drowning in an endless pool of black as his consciousness was altered. His morals switched. After a while he stopped fighting. Gave into the alluring black of the dark. _

_Wyatt watched as his brother slowly opened his eyes._

"_How do you feel little brother?" He asked._

_Chris sat up, his eyes sharp with malice, a storm black as night raging furious in the green orbs, flickering from cold green to endless darkness. "I've never felt better…"_

…Barbas looked down at his pool as the image faded. His plan had taken an unexpected turn. Upping the dosage had changed everything. Such a high dose had made Chris believe in what had been happening. Entirely. It was as though he had lived his worst nightmare.

"Hmmm…" he muttered. She smiled, in the same twisted way that Chris' dream Wyatt had. Chris was evil…

21

Piper wrung her hands nervously, chewing on her lip in a futile attempt to release some of the tension. Since his last burst of anguish in his feverish state, Chris hadn't moved, other than the occasional whimper when cold towels were placed on his forehead.

Wyatt sat rocking in the corner, hugging his knees to his chest. Why couldn't he save his little brother? He had Excalibur for goodness sake. It seemed every time he was in trouble, Chris would have a plan to save him but when it came to repaying the favour Wyatt felt helpless, useless. He didn't have a clue as to how to help his little brother.

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_Chris looked at Wyatt's demons with more malice than he had ever thrown at them before. He glared at one who was quivering and threw a fireball at him. The demon became a pile of ash. Wyatt smirked._

"_Well done, little brother."_

_Chris shrugged carelessly, then fell to the floor, clutching his stomach. His face twisted in pain. "Aahh." He groaned, and then fell back to the floor, unconscious._

_Wyatt walked over to Chris, and looked angrily at the surrounding demons. "Make ready his bedroom instead of just staring. Now!"_

_The demons all shimmered out while Wyatt turned his brother over, examining him. "Hmmm. It seems the potion I used has some unusual side effects." His hand glowed as he used his powers to assess him. "Even now, little brother, you try to resist against something that you cannot fight. The potion knocked you out before you could do anything against it." Wyatt held his hand over Chris' forehead. "Feverish." He muttered. _

_Wyatt thought for a moment then placed both hands on Chris' temples. "Time to eradicate some of these pesky memories and morals. I thought you'd find a way to fight a potion- but you won't be able to fight THIS." His hands glowed dark blue, enveloping him and his brother._

_Chris' lip quivered and a tear fell down his cheek, almost as though he was aware of what was happening. Despite the cold exterior displayed by Wyatt, his heart clenched. Was he doing the right thing by doing this to his younger brother? He gritted his teeth, surrounding his heart with ice. He began erasing Chris' memories one by one, all the memories of saving innocents, replacing them with memories of murdering them instead, relishing the kill. He didn't touch the memories of their mother. Merely twisted her murder, swapping the demons for mortals with guns- with Chris killing mortals in revenge for her death. And making sure that he, Wyatt, was the one who was always there for Chris. No matter what. Brothers to the end._

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Piper's heart wrenched at her son as a tear ran down his cheek, his lip quivering. She brushed away the teardrop with her thumb. "It's okay peanut," she hushed, "Mummy's here, mummy will make it all go away…" Chris moaned and nuzzled into her hand's embrace, making his Aunts who had just orbed back in grin and "Awww" in a way that would have made him cringe and quite probably glare at them if he had been awake.

Piper glanced at her sisters with a pleading expression that seemed to ask, "Anything?"

Phoebe brought a book from the pile she and Paige had spread across the floor. "Well, the only thing we could find was this tiny paragraph on the possibility that a virus could be mutated with magic- so it is magical enough to be powerful, but natural enough that whitelighters would not be able to heal the person affected by it."

Paige looked sympathetically at her sister. "Nothing else, nada."

Piper just looked sadly at her youngest son- who had been through more the past few months than she could ever have imagined happening to her in a couple of years. She sighed, wringing her hands together as Leo placed another cold flannel on Chris' forehead, who weakly tried to shake it off by moving his head. His fever appeared to be settling, but at a temperature that was alarming for any mother to have to watch her child try and fend off.

Paige grabbed Phoebe's hand. "We'll go and check with the elders."

Piper nodded grimly. It was a desperate situation when the Charmed Ones asked the elders for help, even though the relations between them had improved- mainly due to Paige's service as Headmistress at Magic School.

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_Wyatt stepped back, a bead of sweat trickling from his forehead as his little brother had put up a fight- not to mention the effort it took to erase and warp all those memories of Chris having saved innocents. Wyatt was secretly impressed. He had no idea that his brother was strong enough to vanquish all those demons- particularly since most of them had been in secret, so his mother did not worry._

_Wyatt shimmered himself and his brother to the room he had had his demons prepare especially for Chris. He had made his demons find the best bed and bedding that was available to them. He had the bedding enchanted so Chris would always dream of the mortals killing his mother if there was the slightest part of him that wanted to go back to being good again. Nothing like making him remember what had 'made him turn' to keep him evil._

_Chris looked innocent in his sleep- but Wyatt noted with satisfaction that this was an illusion, the fully awake Chris would strike fear into even the Charmed One's hearts with just a glare from his cold green eyes spiked with black._

_Wyatt put a chair next to his brother's bed and watched him sleeping. _

_Chris' eyelids flickered as he stretched lazily, waking up. _

"_Good afternoon, sleepy head." Wyatt teased._

_Chris shrugged, throwing a fireball at the clock on the wall._

"_Yeah, well what time is it now, smartass?" he retorted. Evidently the new Chris was not very cheerful after waking up._

_Wyatt merely stuck his tongue out at his little brother, orbing a new clock to replace the torched remains of the previous one. He smiled inwardly. He was glad that his brother had joined him._

_Chris shrugged again, his green eyes glinting with a sudden cheerful malice. "I can hear someone listening outside this room." He waved his hand carelessly and the 'someone' was forcefully shimmered into the room with him and Wyatt. A demon._

"_My Lord." The demon bowed almost awkwardly. Clumsily. _

_Chris vanquished him, his hand clenching tight, the demon's heart being crushed in his hand…he could feel it…the power…_

_Wyatt smirked then tutted his brother. "Now, now Chris. I can't have you killing my followers."_

_Chris relaxed on the bed. "I don't like eavesdroppers." He glanced around the room. "I'm bored. My powers feel like they want to be used…" He grinned._

_Wyatt smiled at his brother, glad that they were together again. "Fancy some fighting?"_

_Chris nodded, and then flamed out with his brother…_

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Piper jumped as Chris woke up with a start. She hugged him in relief. "Chris peanut, I was so worried!" She went to shout at the others to come in, that Chris was alright but Chris didn't return her embrace. He shrank back from her suspiciously as Piper looked at him hurt.

"Clever disguise, demon." He glared at her. Piper's heart couldn't help but to break into a thousand pieces as she saw the malice in his expression. "Peanut?" She asked tentatively.

"Nice use of my old nickname. But my mother is dead." He threw a fireball at her, a fireball so powerful it threw her back against the wall, leaving a huge scorch mark on her chest. Wyatt woke suddenly from his position in the corner as his aunts and father ran in from the other room, where they had been conducting research.

"Mum!" Wyatt yelled, but was grabbed by Chris and flamed out before he could run to help her.


	24. Evil Alliance

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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_Previously…_

"_Nice use of my old nickname. But my mother is dead." He threw a fireball at her, a fireball so powerful it threw her back against the wall, leaving a huge scorch mark on her chest. Wyatt woke suddenly from his position in the corner as his aunts and father ran in from the other room, where they had been conducting research._

"_Mum!" Wyatt yelled, but was grabbed by Chris and flamed out before he could run to help her. _

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24

Chris flamed into a spacious cavern in the Underworld. As soon as his feet touched the sandy floor, Wyatt wrenched his hand away from Chris'.

"What did you do that for?!" He yelled, tears forming in his eyes as he thought about his mother. He moved to orb out to help her but Chris' telekinesis held him back.

"Where do you think you are going?" Chris said coldly.

"Lemme go!" Wyatt yelled, fighting against the invisible force holding him down. He glanced up at Chris and gasped. He thought his brother might have been under a spell but nothing had prepared him for the cold look his brother was giving him. The malice and contempt in those eyes were unforgettable, like black chasms into a cruel, harsh soul.

"C-Chris…" Wyatt whimpered. He sank to his knees.

"Yes brother?" Chris smirked at him, playing with an energy ball balanced in his palm.

"Who turned you evil?" He paused over the last word, evil being an alien word to describe Chris, the determined, never stopping epitome of good.

Chris threw the energy ball in the air, when it hit the cave wall it exploded into millions of sparks. He smiled cruelly. "You."

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Leo ran through the splinters of wall that had fallen from the force of the impact his wife had made when she had hit it. Blood was trickling from her head and the fireball wound looked particularly nasty. He wasted no time in healing her head wound as Paige began to heal her fireball wound. Piper sat up with a gasp of breath, wincing as her fireball wound was not finished healing. Leo stroked a strand of hair off her face with shaking fingers.

"I-I thought I'd lost you…" He kissed her, crying as Paige and Phoebe hugged her with relief.

"Who attacked you? A demon?!" Phoebe asked worriedly.

Piper shook her head sadly. "Chris."

Leo withdrew from her, staring in shock. "Not Chris! It must have been… been a glamour demon or- or a spell on a demon to make him look like Chris…"

Piper looked at him grimly. "Chris woke up but he wasn't the same Chris we know. He seemed to think that I was dead. He thought I was a demon pretending to be his dead mother."

Phoebe gasped, a shaky hand held to her mouth. "He took Wyatt with him!"

Leo frowned, beginning to look panicky as couldn't sense either of his sons. "I think they're in the Underworld."

Paige put her hands on her hips. "Any one got any clue as to what might have happened?"

Every one shook their head.

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Wyatt shook his head in indignation. "It wasn't me! I'm not evil… in this timeline. That was our mother you just fireballed back there!"

Chris studied Wyatt grimly. "Apparently you're stuck in that good versus evil morass you were always warning me about. Only power matters. You taught me that."

"No! Its not about power Chris. It's about…about family and saving innocents and you not being like _this_!" He yelled.

Chris frowned, sending chills down Wyatt's spine. "Well I guess I'll just have to make you see sense." He stood back from Wyatt. "Now brother, we will be together. We are stronger that way."

"More _powerful_?" Wyatt spat.

Chris cleared his throat and proclaimed

"**_Where Wyatt is good, kind and light_**

**_Make him evil, dark as night_**

**_Fan the flames that inside him dwell_**

_**Change my brother with this my spell"**_

He admired his spell as black orbs shimmered around Wyatt who looked at his brother in shock and disbelief. He tried to fight the spell but Chris had put all of his power into it and it was spoken by someone who shared the same blood. Their bond was drawing them together. Into evil. And this Chris had evil to dole out in spades with much more left to spare. Wyatt's hair became longer and his jeans morphed into tight leather trousers that his mother would never in a million years have let him wear. His t-shirt changed colour, becoming black- and tighter. His blue eyes, which would normally sparkle with emotion, became cold as ice. He grinned at Chris with an evil glint in his eye. "Hello…little brother."

Chris laughed, the sound echoing around the cavern. "Shall we?" He asked.

Wyatt smiled broadly as he summoned Excalibur.

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Piper and her sisters were flicking through the Book of Shadows, while Leo sat on a chair near them, trying to sense his sons.

"Anything?" Leo asked, his eyes opening.

"No." Piper said as she flicked the page to the picture of the low level demon that had been injecting Chris before he was unceremoniously blown up by the oldest sister. Phoebe touched it, trying to get a premonition of what had happened to Chris.

She gasped as she was thrown back mentally into the past.

_She saw Chris tossing and turning in his feverish sleep…_

…_The demon giving him another dose of injection…_

…_Phoebe was sucked into Chris' nightmares…_

_…Wyatt, turning him, changing his memories…_

Phoebe let go of the Book. "His dreams while he was feverish. They were real to him. The past Wyatt turned him evil in his dreams and twisted his memories. He believed in the dream so much it became reality."

Piper frowned. "That explains why he thought I was dead. But what do we do now?"

Paige pointed as Excalibur disappeared from its stone in a flurry of dark coloured orbs. "Uh… I think Chris has made his first move."

Leo groaned. "Piper, I didn't think that I would ever have said this, but I think may be we taught our son a little too well."

Phoebe hugged her older sister. "Well he is normally a strong force against evil. We just have to make him remember that."

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Chris and Wyatt were building a strong base in the Underworld. Some of the demons were refusing to join them however, especially the darklighters who had no intention of working for whitelighters. However, Chris and Wyatt's onslaught was beginning to persuade even some of the more patriotic demons. They were cruel to the demons that opposed them, they vanquished with no questions asked.

Fireballs, energy balls, spells and telekinesis flew in all directions in the Underworld. Arrows from the darklighters rained down from all sides as Wyatt clove them in two using Excalibur.

Chris laughed manically as he jumped down from a high rock to grapple hand to hand with a darklighter and his crossbow. Chris sustained a long cut to his chest, the arrow in the bow scraping along his chest as he stabbed the demon in the heart with an athame. He grabbed the demon's crossbow and let loose a bolt into a demon's chest, exploding him into ashes. "This was my favourite top you bd!"

Wyatt killed an entire clan of darklighters with an evil blink of his eyes and stepped up beside his brother, who was panting from the ecstasy of battle. His face was slightly pale from the poison that was starting to seep its way into his bloodstream. Wyatt stretched out his hand to heal his brother.

One problem. He couldn't heal. Chris had suppressed his whitelighter side completely in his eagerness to make him evil. As Wyatt started to show signs of panic, Chris stood up with an evil smirk not even wincing at the wound sunk deep into his chest. "Summon a whitelighter then brother."

Wyatt summoned one.

"Wyatt? …Chris?"

It was Leo.


	25. Saving Wyatt and Chris I

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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What about this for a quick update :)!

_Previously…_

"_Who turned you evil?" He paused over the last word, evil being an alien word to describe Chris, the determined, never stopping epitome of good._

_Chris threw the energy ball in the air, when it hit the cave wall it exploded into millions of sparks. He smiled cruelly. "You."…_

_Wyatt killed an entire clan of darklighters with an evil blink of his eyes and stepped up beside his brother, who was panting from the ecstasy of battle. His face was slightly pale from the poison that was starting to seep its way into his bloodstream. Wyatt stretched out his hand to heal his brother._

_One problem. He couldn't heal…_

…_Chris stood up with an evil smirk not even wincing at the wound sunk deep into his chest. "Summon a whitelighter then brother." _

_Wyatt summoned one._

"_Wyatt? …Chris?" _

_It was Leo._

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25

Chris frowned and snarled. "Get him away from me!"

Wyatt sighed, waving his father out in a flurry of orbs. "Who am I going to find now?"

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Leo materialised back in front of the sisters who were rushing around trying to find a way to bring him back. Piper hugged him. "Where did you go?!"

"Wyatt summoned me. Chris is hurt and it seems that Wyatt cannot heal him. They are together in the underworld. Looks like they were fighting a great battle."

Phoebe nodded grimly. "Trying to take over the underworld."

Piper looked at him worriedly. "How hurt is he?!"

Leo looked at her. "With Chris, who knows? He just shouted at Wyatt to get me out of there, 'Get him away from me!' I think were his precise words."

Piper hugged him.

"I'm OK. I know that wasn't our Chris talking. What worries me is that he seemed to have a deep wound in his chest. Maybe it was even a darklighter arrow that caused it. Which gives him a day at most really." He looked at Piper. "We must make sure that he is healed before then, no matter what, that must come first."

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Chris grimaced as he walked over to the chair his brother had summoned for him to rest in. A demon was waiting in the cave's entrance to speak to them. Chris put on his cold mask, hiding any evidence of pain.

"Enter." He called with a commanding tone of voice. Wyatt paced in circles, like a tiger waiting to pounce. Power radiated from both of them, in cold, menacing waves.

The demon bowed. "My lords, the vampires say that they will join you. Any vampires that resisted have been wiped out."

Chris nodded, satisfied. "And the banishees?"

"They are willing to serve you."

"Good." Wyatt stepped forward, Excalibur glinting by his side. The demon almost visibly shuddered.

"Bring any warlocks to me and my brother when you find them." Chris waved his hand at the demon. "That is all."

The demon bowed and walked backwards out of the cave, as was the custom.

"What about the Source?" Wyatt asked Chris.

"He is no threat to us. We will assimilate his power when he tries to fight us. Nothing can stop us." Chris clenched his fist and winced as he turned to face his brother.

"You should let me find someone to heal that for you."

Chris shook his head. "We will find a way brother, a way without having to use that sickening power used by whitelighters. We will use something from down here."

"Let us find a dark healer then." Wyatt announced.

Chris nodded slightly in agreement, sinking back into his chair with a sigh when his brother had shimmered out of the room.

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Piper and her sisters worked over time, brewing potions and writing spells. They were to contain Chris and Wyatt, which required more than just the Power of Three. Leprechauns, elders and fairies were drafted in to reinforce the cage and potions. Paige was setting up the crystals which were to form the basis of the cage, as a circle of runes was carved into the attic floor by Leo. The books it came from said that the runes had the power to trap even titans and gods.

Piper stood back from the potion just as it exploded into a variety of colours. "Potion…check."

Paige orbed back into the room with her and Phoebe's children. They were there to reinforce the cage. As soon as they said the spell required, she took them back to their great grandfather's house. Andy and Richard were at magic school, gathering all the knowledge on spells to contain that could be found in those ancient tomes.

Phoebe put the pen and pencil down. "I'm ready."

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Wyatt looked at his brother worriedly as the dark healer ran a hand thrumming with power over his brother's wound. Chris' lips twisted with pain as the healer's hand started to glow black. He stood back, the wound on Chris' chest looking as nasty as ever.

"Why are you stopping?" Wyatt snapped as Chris sank back into his chair.

"I cannot heal this. This was caused by a darklighter arrow. Its magic is irreversible. Except by _whitelighters_." He spat.

"Wrong answer." Chris said cruelly, twisting his hand he squeezed it into a tight fist, telekinetically squeezing the dark healer's heart. The healer burst into flames with screams of anguish.

"Where did you learn that little brother?" Wyatt asked admiringly.

"Around." Chris shifted in his chair, controlling the wince.

"Well that was the third healer we've vanquished. And they all said the same thing."

"I am not going to a whitelighter." Chris snapped.

The demon coughed from his place in the doorway. "I have found a warlock sires."

Chris sat up immediately showing no signs of pain. Only Wyatt was not fooled. "Send him in."

The warlock was a particularly scruffy one, looking more like a tramp than a particularly high level demon. Wyatt looked at him with contempt.

"Couldn't you have _washed_?" Chris asked with his nose wrinkled in distaste.

"Sorry my liege. I have come in a hurry. Rumours are that the Charmed Ones are planning to capture you and turn you good."

Chris glared at the smelly warlock. "You think that I had not planned for that?"

The warlock bowed very low, shaking slightly.

"Relax, warlock." Wyatt looked at him, bringing him back up using telekinesis. "You are part of the plan."

"Whatever you require of me sire." The warlock bowed down low again.

Chris cleared his throat, looking incredibly menacing for the fourteen year old that he actually was, power radiating from him. "I hear that you have some very good powers…"

The warlock smiled. "Like my power of duplication?"

"Exactly." Wyatt confirmed.

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Paige grabbed Phoebe's hand just as Leo took Piper's hand. "Lead the way." She said to Leo.

"They haven't moved from the cave that they summoned me to. Expect a trap."

"Like we'd have it any other way." Phoebe squeezed Piper's hand as the four of them disappeared in a shower of orbs.

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Chris nodded to Wyatt as the blue orbs materialised in the cave. They shimmered out of the cave.

Piper, Phoebe, Paige and Leo stepped out of the orbs.

"It's empty!" Phoebe exclaimed.

Wyatt and Chris grinned from their viewpoint outside the cave.

"NOW." Chris commanded.

The vampires swooped out of nowhere, snapping at the Charmed Ones and Leo as the banshees howled at them. There were hundreds of them. As Piper exploded them, another one just took its place. Potions and spells were flying about the cavern- but the onslaught didn't cease.

Paige orbed Phoebe out of the way of a banshee as Piper blasted it. They had spoken a spell to stop themselves from being changed into banshees but the sound that they made was deafening. Leo sank to his knees as a banshee flew closer to him. Piper exploded it only for a vampire to flap around Leo, trying to take a bite.

Piper began exploding for all her worth, panting with the effort.

The vampires and banshees disappeared suddenly.

"Wh-where did they go?" Phoebe gasped.

"I don't know!" Leo yelled. "But I think that was only the first wave!"

A legion of demons shimmered in.

Piper growled. "Chris is too good for his own good."

"How did they get so much support so quickly?" Paige gasped.

That sent Leo thinking. "They can't have- even with their level of power the source would still be trying to stop them!"

The legion of demons disappeared. Chris and Wyatt flamed in, Chris clapping his hands sarcastically.

"Well isn't _Leo_ quite the genius?" He retorted.

Piper put her hands on her hips. "You're coming with me young man."

"Sorry Mother. You may not be a demon but you're still not _my _Mother. She died months ago. Shot by _humans_." He spat. "Here you are trying to save them. It's not going to happen."

Wyatt nodded. "Try and catch us." He smirked, drawing out Excalibur from its sheath. Dark power thrummed from the sword, reflected in the cruel, cold eyes of the two brothers.

The three sisters drew themselves up to their full height, which would not have been so imposing if the two brothers hadn't been teenagers. Power come from them in thrums, clashing with the power echoing from the brothers.

"Showtime." Chris grinned as an energy ball formed in his hand, sparking stronger than any energy ball the sisters had ever seen before.

All hell was going to break loose.


	26. Saving Wyatt and Chris II

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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_Previously…_

…"_I'm OK. I know that wasn't our Chris talking. What worries me is that he seemed to have a deep wound in his chest. Maybe it was even a darklighter arrow that caused it. Which gives him a day at most really." He looked at Piper. "We must make sure that he is healed before then, no matter what, that must come first."…_

…"_I cannot heal this. This was caused by a darklighter arrow. Its magic is irreversible. Except by whitelighters." He spat._

"_Wrong answer." Chris said cruelly, twisting his hand he squeezed it into a tight fist, telekinetically squeezing the dark healer's heart. The healer burst into flames with screams of anguish…_

…_The three sisters drew themselves up to their full height, which would not have been so imposing if the two brothers hadn't been teenagers. Power come from them in thrums, clashing with the power echoing from the brothers._

"_Showtime." Chris grinned as an energy ball formed in his hand, sparking stronger than any energy ball the sisters had ever seen before._

_All hell was going to break loose…_

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26

Leo and the sisters dived out of the way as the power ball exploded towards them. Rocks showered down from the ceiling as the floor shook.

Wyatt stepped forward, meeting Phoebe. Phoebe donned a defensive stance. She levitated into the air, spinning to avoid the very sharp and shiny blade of Excalibur. Piper's mouth opened in indignation as she saw exactly what it was that her young boys were wearing. Paige orbed to the other side of the cave to avoid rocks Chris' telekinesis was throwing her way.

Piper walked up to her son boldly, raising her hands to freeze him, even temporarily. Chris looked at her, the cold look disappearing from his eyes, being replaced by confusion.

"M-mum?" He asked shakily.

"Peanut?" Piper asked tentatively.

"W-where am I?"

Piper went to go hug her son, to reassure him that everything was alright.

Chris stood up to his full height, using his telekinesis to throw her all the way across the cave, laughing wickedly. Leo orbed and caught her. Piper stood up, furious.

"That was low son."

"I'M NOT YOUR SON!" Chris yelled vehemently.

"Yes. Yes you are. This isn't you speaking Chris. Some demon has made you evil."

"LOOK OUT!" Wyatt yelled as Paige snuck up behind Chris. He moved to throw her away from his brother but Phoebe spun and kicked him in the head, knocking him out cold.

Chris looked up in shock as the potion bottle hit him. He disappeared in a flurry of lights, only to reappear in a cage. In the Attic.

"NOOOOOO!" He yelled, throwing countless energy balls at the magical constraints. He stepped back as the energy balls were thrown back at him.

He sat on the floor, calculating as his parents and Aunts orbed into the attic, carrying the unconscious Wyatt.

"Sorry baby… I didn't want to do that…" Phoebe fussed over Wyatt. His hand flopped as they laid him on the couch.

"Geez son… you've gotten heavy…" Leo wheezed as he let go of his son. The sisters cast the reversal spell needed to turn him back. Wyatt turned back to the loveable son they all knew. The leather trousers turned back into jeans. Wyatt's chest rose and fell softly as Leo healed his head. Leo blew some Sandman's dust at his son. "That should help him fight the rest of the spell." He said out loud.

The sisters and Leo turned to face Chris in the cage.

"Let…me…go…" He said coldly and calmly.

"How about we go for… no." Piper said sarcastically.

Chris crossed his legs. "But Mum…" He looked at her with puppy dog eyes.

Piper fought hard against the urge to kick the crystal away from her, to let him free. But she wasn't about to let him do the same trick on her twice.

She shook her head. "No Chris."

Chris scowled. "Didn't think it would work twice anyway."

"You're not evil. You were injected by a demon… it made you feverish…"

"Save the speech _Leo_. I'm not going to listen to it any way. When I get out of here I will get my brother back and _you_ are going to pay."

Leo didn't doubt that Chris meant it. "At least let me heal you son."

"I don't need healing. A dark healer sorted it for me. I don't _need you._" He lied. It was taking all his effort to stay awake, making these cold retorts. But he was Chris. He didn't need help from anyone. No-one was going to stop him from fulfilling his plans. His dreams.

Leo was fooled. "I didn't know that the underworld had figured out a way to stop the darklighters poison."

"That's because you are naïve. He couldn't have healed me unless I was really evil. Could he? And that what scares you and the silly Charmed Ones. Isn't it? That I am really evil and there is nothing that you can do to stop it." Chris stood up, to prove that he really was healed. "Now let me out…" He summoned so much power into his energy ball that the whole attic was shaking.

"No." Paige said firmly.

"We are going to let you think this through while we figure out a way to turn you back. And we will." Piper said as all four of them left the room. Chris stared at them coldly, arms crossed and looking very arrogant.

As soon as they were gone, Chris sank onto the attic floor in agony, white hot poison… the after image of black spots danced in his vision as he gasped in pain. He held out his hand to his brother before collapsing.

Wyatt was asleep. Pretty wood nymphs were teasing him, chasing him through a forest. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. But something felt wrong. He kept trying to wake up, but was forced back into slumber.

He felt his brother call out for him mentally, desperate for help. Wyatt remembered everything in a flash.

_Chris leaping manically…_

…_The darklighter's arrow digging into his chest as Chris stabbed him in the chest…_

Wyatt bolted from the couch. "DADDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!" He yelled. Chris was stuck in the cage and despite all the blows Wyatt was raining on the cage, he couldn't get in. Chris was lying on the floor of the cage, his breath rattling in his chest. He looked up at Wyatt, eyes pleading rather than the completely cold depths that had been there before. "H-help…me…" He gasped. His eyes slowly closed, his outstretched hand sank to the floor limply.


	27. Tick Tock

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

Sorry I haven't had the chance to update- I'm in the middle of my A level exam revision- my exams start Monday! As a treat though, I'm adding TWO chapters :) Hope you enjoy... Please R n R!

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_Previously…_

"_LOOK OUT!" Wyatt yelled as Paige snuck up behind Chris. He moved to throw her away from his brother but Phoebe spun and kicked him in the head, knocking him out cold._

_Chris looked up in shock as the potion bottle hit him. He disappeared in a flurry of lights, only to reappear in a cage. In the Attic…_

…_Leo was fooled. "I didn't know that the underworld had figured out a way to stop the darklighters poison."_

"_That's because you are naïve. He couldn't have healed me unless I was really evil. Could he? And that what scares you and the silly Charmed Ones. Isn't it? That I am really evil and there is nothing that you can do to stop it." Chris stood up, to prove that he really was healed. "Now let me out…" He summoned so much power into his energy ball that the whole attic was shaking…_

…_Wyatt bolted from the couch. "DADDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!" He yelled. Chris was stuck in the cage and despite all the blows Wyatt was raining on the cage, he couldn't get in. Chris was lying on the floor of the cage, his breath rattling in his chest. He looked up at Wyatt, eyes pleading rather than the completely cold depths that had been there before. "H-help…me…" He gasped. His eyes slowly closed, his outstretched hand sank to the floor limply…_

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27

Leo came running in, thinking that Wyatt was just yelling because he had woken up and found his brother in a cage. He was so very wrong. "PPAAAAAAAAAIIGGGE!" He screamed.

He orbed in Piper and Phoebe with a wave of his hand. Paige orbed in with speed. Piper put her hand to her mouth. "CHRIS!" She yelled.

Piper kicked the crystal away from the cage and ran to her son. She unbuttoned the dark shirt that Chris was wearing. She gasped. A deep wound was burned into his chest. It was green around it, the veins throbbing. His skin was very pale.

Leo held his hands over the wound; his hands glowed with the healing energy, Paige and Wyatt joined in, Wyatt crying. The wound closed up very slowly. Piper held Chris' hand, not daring to speak.

Just as some of the colour started to come back into Chris' face, Leo and Paige withdrew their hands. Leo pulled Wyatt's hands away from Chris, pulling him back.

"I haven't finished healing him yet!" Wyatt cried. Piper stood out of the cage and put the crystal back.

"I know son, but if we heal him so much that he wakes up, he might escape. Do you know how much effort it took to catch you two in the first place?" Leo explained.

"So that's why I couldn't get in. The cage was made for me and Chris?" Wyatt asked.

"Yep." Phoebe looked at him. "Sorry I had to kick you in the head."

"Yeah. Oooww!" Wyatt laughed. "I was evil at the time. Chris cast a spell on me. I understand. No harm done."

Phoebe smiled just as Chris groaned. He felt his chest, shuddering. "I can't believe I had to resort to being healed by _whitelighter_ magic." The cold calculating look was back in his eyes. Wyatt shuddered. It was like his brother had reptilian eyes. The look turned on him. "Et tu, Wyatt?"

"You were the one who turned me evil. I didn't ask for it."

"I was trying to repay the favour. We are stronger together. We are brothers. Never mind. You will join me. This is only a temporary setback."

Piper shook her head. "You are NOT evil. Listen to me peanut. Some demon…"

Chris cut her short with a wave of his hand. "I told _Leo_ that I wasn't about to listen to his cp and I'm not about to listen to you."

Piper flicked her hands, causing Chris to snap back as a little explosion caught him unaware. "What have I told you about using that language?!" Her tone rose.

"Whatever." Chris crossed his legs. "So what's your next move? I've made mine."

"What move?" Paige was going to ask just as a lot of demons shimmered in the attic.

"How did you summon these demons from inside the cage?" Piper yelled as she began to blow them up one by one.

Chris just laughed, an eerie sound that made chills run down the spines of everyone present.

"I'll give you a clue. I didn't astral project, seeing as you had the sense to confine all my powers to the space in this cage."

"Very helpful." Paige said sarcastically.

The demons proceeded to throw fireballs at them from all directions.

"Ever wondered why all Wyatt's spells seem to backfire on me?" Chris taunted.

Leo stared at his son strangely. "Why, do you know?"

"A demon happened to mention a rumour while I was in the middle of torturing him." Chris stared flippantly back. "Guess you don't want to know?"

Phoebe grunted as her stiletto impaled a demon. She blocked a demon's fireball from hitting Leo. "Ignore him. He's just trying to distract you!"

"I need to know this!" Leo cried.

Wyatt turned from stabbing a demon through with Excalibur to look at his brother. "Why?"

Chris looked Wyatt in the eye. "Because I came back to _save_ you. By that act I took responsibility for all your actions in this timeline." He said sharply. "The only way I can rise above it _is power_."

Wyatt dropped Excalibur to the floor with a clatter, sinking to his knees. "I-it can't be." He gasped.

"That's fine brother. Just sit there and despair. Like that's going to help me. Join me. Together we can rise above the whole good and evil thing. Rise above this petty idea of personal consequences that the Elders preside over." Chris looked at his brother with pleading eyes. "Y-you don't want me to have t-to deal with this alone. Do you?"

Paige grabbed Wyatt by the arm. "He's lying!" Wyatt shook her arm off.

"What if he isn't?" He asked desolately.

Piper crouched by her eldest son. "He's playing with you. When Chris came back from the future he did it to save you and that was because he loved you. The Chris I know would do it all again in a minute. We can sort out this together as a family."

Paige dived towards Piper, knocking her out of the way of a fireball that had been heading towards her.

Chris took advantage of the distraction; he held his hand out to Wyatt, letting tears come to his eyes. He used their unbreakable bond as brothers to call to him, to join him. Wyatt took a step towards the crystal cage.

"Help me, Wy." He pleaded.

Leo orbed behind Wyatt, throwing a fistful of sleeping dust in his face. Wyatt looked one last time at Chris, his eyes full of sorrow and longing. His eyes closed shut. His knees buckled and he headed towards the floor. Leo caught his son in his arms.

"DAMN YOU LEO!" Chris cursed.

"How could you do that to your own brother? Was that even true?" Piper yelled at him.

Chris stared at his fingers. "Maybe it was…may be it wasn't." He said cryptically. He glared at his parents and aunts defiantly. "You are not going to be able to stop me, even if you try."

Leo looked at Piper after throwing an athame at a demon. "He was telling the truth, wasn't he?" Piper nodded, feeling the truth as strongly as her husband had.

Chris just looked at them from within the confines of his cage.

Paige stood up gasping for breath as the last demon was vanquished. "You are in big trouble, young man!" She directed at Chris.

"Whatever."

Paige sighed. Phoebe got up dusting her knees. "Obviously we have to shield the house from any demons entering."

Piper nodded.

Chris laughed. "Any spell you use to ward off demons will only work for twenty four hours at the most."

Leo looked at his son. "Then twenty four hours is how long we have to turn you back."

"Not gonna happen." Chris stretched out his legs and yawned. "This whole thing is getting boring. I don't think you understand what you are up against."

Piper glared at him. "Twenty four hours is more than enough." She snapped.

The sisters walked out of the room, but Leo stayed.

"Oh pur-lease. I get _you _to guard me? How touching." Chris said sarcastically.

Leo sat on the floor and gazed at his son sadly. "How could that demon do this to you?"

Chris gave Leo a stony stare. "It wasn't _a _demon. It was life. That is what happened." He raised his hands together, creating an incredibly large energy ball that glowed and sparked threateningly in his palm. He threw it at the floor, causing the crystals to move out of the way slightly in the tremendous impact of the energy ball. The force of the power nearly blew Leo off his feet but Chris just paced up and down in his cage, the hairs on his head rippling in the force of the energy ball.

Leo looked in dismay at where the runes had been carved in the floor. All of them had been scorched away. One of the spells keeping Chris in the cage had gone.

"Tick tock." Chris taunted.


	28. In Chris' Head!

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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Here's the second chappie :)!!!

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28

Piper ran her hands threw her hair worriedly. "Anything?" She asked her sisters.

Phoebe and Paige shook their heads in the negative.

Richard and Jason came in the room. Richard dumped a load of books on the floor. "Everything we and the kids could find on mind altering through dreams." He said, referring to Chris and Wyatt's cousins.

Piper sighed. "We have twenty four hours until Chris can summon another load of demons to attack us."

Paige put her arm around Richard. "We have to find something before then!"

Phoebe threw her book to the floor in disgust. "Nothing in this one either."

Leo orbed in. "I know I should be guarding Chris…" He said before anyone could say anything. "But I have to let you know, he found a way to get rid of the runes on the floor."

Piper groaned. "Right. Then I guess the kids are going to have to help us in this one."

Matt orbed in, holding Sam's hand in his right as Prue and Melissa held onto his arm.

Piper looked at them. "We need your help to keep Chris contained. You need to keep coming up with spells and potions to keep him in there while we try to help him turn back."

Prue nodded seriously as her sister and cousins bounced excitedly.

Paige looked at Richard. "Keep an eye on them would you?"

Jason followed Richard as everyone could see how eager the children where to get started- eager to the point where potions could explode.

Leo orbed back into the attic. He looked at Wyatt, who was back on the sofa, chest rising and falling gently. Chris was sat in the centre of the cage, eyes closed. Leo could tell that he was up to something.

He was. Wyatt rose from his place on the sofa.

Leo ducked as Wyatt threw a fire ball at him. He looked at Chris, who had opened one eye and was grinning sardonically. Leo realised that Wyatt was sleepwalking.

"Stop doing this to your brother!" He yelled, trying to duck out of the way of Wyatt's latest attempt to fry him under the control of his brother.

Matt orbed in that second and threw a potion at the cage. As the potion dissipated over the cage, Wyatt drooped and fell to the floor.

"Just blocking your powers from leaving the cage again." He grinned at Chris, who glared at him evilly.

"Who are you?!" He demanded just as Matt orbed back to the kitchen.

Leo looked at Chris, stunned. "You don't remember him."

"May be that's because I've never met him." Chris said sarcastically.

"He's your cousin. Paige's son. Matt. Remember?"

Chris sighed impatiently. "I said that I don't know him and now you keep trying to lie to me. Paige never had any children. Me and Wyatt were the only ones left."

"How did your mother die?" Leo asked, curious as to what else had altered in Chris' mind.

Anger gave Chris the power to shake the attic window and shatter. "_Mortals._" He spat. "They shot her for being a witch in front of me."

Leo stared at Chris. "You told me that she was hit by a demon attack."

Chris glared at him. "I would never mistake a bullet for a fireball." He waved his hand, sending Leo flying out of the door. "Guess that potion didn't work very well. Nice illusion, giving me cousins." He said flippantly.

He put his hand through the cage wall, wincing at the burning sensation it was giving him. He stepped through and shimmered to where Piper and the sisters were conducting research. "Knock knock."

Piper stepped back in horror. "That cage was some of the strongest magic we have ever used."

"Tut, tut." Chris wagged his finger at her. "That's what you get for messing around with an Elder."

Piper gasped at his flippant remark. "I AM YOUR MOTHER! DON'T YOU EVER SPEAK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!"

Chris laughed as Sam orbed in holding Prue's hand. They threw a potion bottle at his feet. He choked mid laugh, clutching his head he sank to the floor, gasping. Leo ran in and orbed him back into the cage.

"What did you do?" Piper asked worriedly.

Prue looked at her aunt. "We made a potion to increase his power of empathy. It probably won't take him long to control that. He already found his way out of the cage." Leo orbed Chris back into the cage.

Chris sat on the floor, his breathing haggard. He looked wildly about the attic, realising that he was trapped in the cage again. Leo looked at him worriedly. He took up the sack of sleeping dust and emptied the entire contents on Chris' head. He watched as Chris' eyes rolled into the back of his head and he sank back, sleeping.

Piper walked in. "He looks so peaceful. How can our little peanut be so evil?"

Leo sighed, stroking the side of his face. "Whatever happened to him in the dream it erased and altered his memories so much it twisted his sense of morality. He thinks that you were shot dead by humans. He doesn't remember having cousins. He said that it was just him and Wyatt left."

Piper leaned against Leo. "Then it might be that Wyatt is the answer. If it was him who did this in Chris' dream then may be our Wyatt can reverse it."

"May be." Leo's eyes sparkled with an idea. He groaned. "But he's sleeping."

Piper looked at him. "Since when has sleeping dust kept one of our kids asleep for long? Look at Chris. You just gave him enough sleeping dust to put an ordinary person in a coma." As she spoke Wyatt rose groggily from his lying place on the sofa.

"Mum? Dad?" Wyatt looked at them puzzled. He looked at Chris sleeping in the cage. "So it wasn't a dream." He looked at his feet.

"Wyatt son, I know that you're feeling immensely guilty but it's not your fault. You weren't the one who put the consequences of Chris' actions on his shoulders. We're going to find the people who did this. But you have nothing to feel sorry for. Chris went back to save you. The other Wyatt no longer exists." Leo said.

Wyatt nodded. "But I still feel responsible. He's my younger brother and keeps having all my personal consequences put on him. It's the older brother who is supposed to look after the younger one, not the other way round."

Piper looked at Wyatt. "Well you can help by not casting any more spells that have _personal gain _written all over them! No more using magic to get DVDs or to get out of doing chores!"

Wyatt nodded.

Leo looked at Wyatt. "We have an idea of how we can stop Chris from being evil."

Wyatt looked hopeful. "How? I'll help…"

Piper squeezed Wyatt's shoulder. "Actually, its you that is going to be doing most of it!"

Leo started to explain. "Do you remember that time you telepathically astral projected into Chris' head?"

"The nightmare demon one, Borolix, I think his name was right?"

"Yeah. Do you think you can do the same thing again? Only this time can you take passengers?" Leo asked.

"I think so. But how can this help Chris?" Wyatt replied.

Piper spoke up. "We think that his memories have been altered. We need to change them back somehow. Even if we change just a few memories hopefully that will jolt his other memories back." Wyatt nodded.

"When shall I start?" He asked.

"As soon as we get your Aunts and co to come up to the attic to act as back-up. That spell we put on the manor might not last long enough and we don't want any demons taking us by surprise." Piper looked at Leo. "Could you get them up here? I want to get some crystals to protect us."

Wyatt put his hand towards the crystal cage Chris was sleeping soundly in. His hand hovered over the forcefield the crystals generated. The power he could feel from them was awesome. But still Chris had managed to break out several times. It was obvious who was the most powerful out of the two of them. But Chris still acted like Wyatt was supposed to be the most powerful. It was obvious that something had changed in this timeline. His Dad being an elder when Chris was born might have had something to do with it. He still couldn't understand why he was supposed to be the next Arthur. Surely Chris should be the legendary King, being the most powerful?

As if she could read his thoughts, Piper walked up to her son. "Excalibur _is _yours. You are the only one who can pull it from the stone. The sword answers to you. With that sword you are just as powerful as Chris. The sword makes you equals."

"Thanks Mum."

Piper smiled. "You ready?"

Wyatt took a deep breath. "Yeah."

Leo orbed back in, having briefed the rest of the family. They followed him in silence, looking worriedly at Piper and Wyatt.

"Be careful." Phoebe urged. "I'll keep my empathy trained on you. If I feel any one of you starting to turn evil I'll get Paige to orb you back into your body or something."

Piper nodded her thanks. Leo stepped into the circle of crystals as Piper placed the last one down, generating the forcefield.

Wyatt waited until all three of them had sat down. He concentrated for a moment, then all three of them collapsed to the floor as he astral projected them into Chris' conscience.

Prue and Matt started a new potion to fill up the stocks that they were building up to fight the expected number of demons as the rest started looking up new spell and potion ideas. Phoebe concentrated her empathy on her three relations in the crystal cage as Jason kept a close eye on Chris, in case he woke up.

Wyatt opened his eyes again to find himself in a ruined San Francisco. He looked around, noticing that he had succeeded in bringing his mother and father with him. They looked shocked around the city. Sirens wailed in the distance. Wyatt looked in horror as a billboard switched to his face- only with much longer hair and a cold expression. The billboard was warning people to obey him. Or they would die.

Chris appeared in a cluster of dark orbs, clapping sarcastically. "Welcome to your future. Well, yours Wyatt since these two no hopers aren't going to live to see it." He gestured at his parents. Piper gave him a glare that would normally have him balking, but Chris shrugged it off.

Wyatt took a step towards Chris. "This isn't right. This isn't a future I would ever envisage."

"Oh I forgot. You're the blubbering goody two shoes version of Wyatt. Want to see the _real _you? I can give you a tour. Over there is the public library. You destroyed that. The bridge. That's gone- you destroyed it. The park? Hmm, I think that's rubble as well… I like what you've done with the place. Really darkened it up." He taunted.

"I am the real me. Wyatt. Whatever. I didn't come here to look at the other Wyatt or what he did. I came here to get the _real _you back." Wyatt retorted.

Piper whispered a spell under her breath. Chris whirled round to face her furiously. "What did you do?" He gasped.

"We're going back to your memories of the past." She explained as the scene before them whirled in a mass of colours. They reappeared in the lounge at the manor.


	29. Nightmares and Reality

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

Yay! My exams are over, so heres an update :) Enjoy!

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_Previously…_

_Piper whispered a spell under her breath. Chris whirled round to face her furiously. "What did you do?" He gasped._

"_We're going back to your memories of the past." She explained as the scene before them whirled in a mass of colours. They reappeared in the lounge at the manor._

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29

Piper, Wyatt and Leo looked around as Chris leaned flippantly against a wall, scowling at his family from the other side of the room as a scene unfolded in front of them.

A four year old Chris was hiding behind a couch as Leo was looking for him.

Leo paced the lounge floor like an angry animal. "Come out Chris. I'm going to find you eventually and when I do…"

Piper tried to smack the Leo on the arm, but her hand went through him. "Oh. Right. Memory. Can't touch anything."

Wyatt raised an eyebrow at his mother, turning to look at the memory Leo. He had found Chris, who was now sobbing uncontrollably.

"D-Daddy… I d-didn't mean to bweak the c-cup…" Chris said as Leo advanced on him. Terrified, he went to orb out, but the memory Leo grabbed his orbs and pulled him back down to Earth. He clouted his son round the ear. The little Chris looked like he wanted to scream, but Leo hissed at him to keep him quiet.

However, as he raised his hand to smack him again, a six year old Wyatt orbed in, snatching Chris away from Leo. "Go away, _Leo_". Leo took one look at Wyatt and orbed out.

Wyatt pulled his brother to his feet. "I won't let him hurt you again. I have your back…"

"And I-I've g-got yours." Chris smiled at his brother.

Leo turned to look at the older Chris. "That never happened!"

Chris looked at him sarcastically. "That's what you were always telling Mum."

Wyatt looked at him. "Dad's telling the truth. That never happened." He waved his hand, projecting him, Chris and his father playing in the park. Chris giggled as Leo was throwing him around in circles while Wyatt was munching on a sandwich from a picnic basket Leo had brought with them.

The older Chris looked longingly at the happy scene. Piper could see the longing in his face; he seemed really starved of attention.

The scene stopped playing. Chris almost immediately snapped back to the nonchalant look he had been wearing later. But Piper knew that they had touched him. The scene in the lounge shifted, Leo playing hide and seek with Chris, rather than the disturbing scene before. The older version of Chris clutched his head. "Get out of my head! You're twisting things! That's not what happened!" He yelled. He tried to force his three family members out of his head, but Wyatt fought back.

"We're staying until we fix what happened to you. We're not twisting things; we're putting them back the way they are supposed to be!"

The scene started shifting again, several scenes flashing past. Scenes of Chris torturing innocents, demons, laughing with pleasure as he used his telekinetic power to choke…

They stood on unsteady feet as they looked around a cavern in the Underworld. An eight year old Chris was chained up to the wall. "Four months today…" A demon taunted. "That's four months since you were brought here. Your family couldn't even be bothered to save you…"

Chris sat up in his chains, glaring at the demon. "SHUT UP."

The demon laughed. "Oooh. Someone has _issues_!" He waved his hand, showing the Halliwell family sitting in the dining room, laughing and eating one of Piper's meals.

"No one loves you. You're going to die here allll alone." He taunted, prodding one of the many wounds on Chris' body. Chris simply glared at him in return.

Wyatt orbed in. "At last!" He threw an energy ball at the demon, who disintegrated into dust with a shout.

"Wy!" Chris looked relieved. "Leo put me here."

Leo winced, noting that this Chris had gotten into the habit of calling him Leo.

"What?!" Wyatt exclaimed.

"He said he wanted me out of the way. That I was holding the rest of the family back…"

Wyatt looked furious. "We'll make him pay for that." He held his hands over Chris, healing him.

Leo pointed at the memory. "OK. _That _didn't happen either. That demon kidnapped you and we found you after two days."

The older Chris glared at him. "Oh not that again." However, he didn't stop watching Wyatt's portrayal of events, watching the whole family saving him. He frowned as he saw people that he didn't recognise, along with the cousin Matt he had never seen before… He seemed to have three memories, two where Paige just hadn't had children and another… He grasped onto the memory of watching his cousin Matt come in the door with a tired but happy looking Aunt and Uncle…it seemed that the future had had more children into it after he had saved Wyatt… He shook his head, confused. He had never saved Wyatt. Why would he need to? His mind was spinning…

The scene shifted again, even more suddenly than before. Piper smiled, it seemed that they were making some headway.

Everyone was feeling quite dizzy when the scene settled into the manor kitchen. In this memory Piper was busy stirring the mixture for a birthday cake. Phoebe and Paige were busy hanging the birthday decorations in the other room. Suspicion dawned in the watching Piper's face, especially since Chris on the other side of the room was not glaring. He was watching in a daze, clearly shocked. Leo racked his brains… something about Chris' birthday…

Leo walked over to the stairs, where a fourteen year old Chris, who looked identical to the age Chris was now, was running down the stairs scowling. He threw a piece of paper on the floor. Leo started reading it. It was a letter in his handwriting, wishing his son happy birthday, but he was too busy to make it to his party. Leo frowned, noting the similarities to Chris' other life. In Chris' memories not only was he a child beater, but an abandoner as well. No wonder Chris had shown such contempt for him.

Chris skidded to a stop in the kitchen. "Hi Mum." He flashed her his winning smile.

Piper smiled warmly back. "Hey there Peanut. Happy Birthday."

"Is it chocolate cake?" He asked with pleading eyes.

"Yeeess. But you're not going to stand there and eat all of it before it even gets in the oven." She shooed him out of the kitchen with a flapping of her hands.

"But Muuuum." He whined.

"No."

The doorbell rang. Chris opened the door. Two men wearing suits were standing at the door.

"Mrs Halliwell?" The one on the left enquired.

"Do you mean Mum?"

"Uh, yes."

Chris stepped aside, and the two men invited themselves in. Chris noticed there were several black vans parked outside. He frowned with worry.

"Mum?"

"No, peanut you can't have any cake. I've told you already!" Piper came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a teatowel. She stopped short in the hallway, noticing the men.

"Phoebe? Paige?!" She called. She turned to the men. "What did you want?"

The man didn't reply, instead he pulled a gun out and pointed it at her.

"Mrs Halliwell, you are under arrest on suspicion of being a witch."

Piper shook her head in denial. "A witch?" She smiled nervously. "Such things don't exist." She moved to flick her hands.

The man smiled at her. "You come, or I'll shot the boy." He grabbed Chris, putting the gun to his head.

The projections of Wyatt, Piper and Leo could only watch as the events unfolded.

Piper stepped back, one hand to her mouth.

Paige ran in and tried to call for the gun, but the man's partner shot her first. She coughed blood and looked surprised for a moment before sliding down the wall. She was dead.

Chris cried out as Phoebe tried to run to her little sister. She was shot dead for her troubles.

"Screw this." The man said before shooting Piper in the chest. Wide-eyed, she looked fearfully at Chris as the man roughly threw him to the floor.

Chris clutched for his mother's hand.

"L-love you peanut." She choked out before her head slumped to the door. She was dead as well.

Chris stood up, shaking with fury. He roared. He telekinetically grabbed the guns from the men's fingers and turned them on the men, shooting them. He orbed to the front door, telekinetically lifting the black vans into the air, crashing them violently to the road. Black clouds rolled in, thunder booming around the manor house.

Wyatt orbed in. "Chris!" he yelled.

Chris didn't respond, busy pulling one of the men out of the black vans, causing him to rise into the air with his telekinesis. Chris choked him to death, laughing manically. Wyatt looked at his dead mother and aunts.

He shimmered to Chris, grabbing him. "What happened?" He choked out, tears in his eyes.

"They killed Mum and the aunts. Mortals. _Innocents_. I'm making them pay." Chris growled.

Wyatt howled with rage. He held his hands out, blasting two of the vans into a neighbour's house.

"Stop this!" The real Chris yelled, clutching at his head, tears in his eyes.

"I can't." Piper said her voice quiet and strained.

The memory Chris shimmered out and reappeared behind another man, stabbing him in the back with an athame he had acquired from somewhere. He and Wyatt worked in tandem, blowing men up and destroying the street in the process. Even though they were only watching the scene, Wyatt, Leo and Piper could feel the raw grief that had manifested as anger.

"THIS ISN'T WHAT HAPPENED CHRIS!" Leo yelled. He had realised that the only way to move onto the next memory was to change the one that they were in now.

"I-I don't believe you." Chris glared at him, but he didn't seem so sure.

Wyatt walked to his 'evil' brother, giving him a hug. Chris leaned into it subconsciously. Wyatt whispered into Chris' ear what had really happened, the demons that had tried to attack on his birthday, and had failed. At how the whole family had been there, including Leo. Chris desperately clung onto his memory though, shaking. "T-that's not what happened… this feels so real…" The memory started to shift as Chris began to remember what had really happened.

Everything swirled into blackness as the four of them where whisked into a blank room, everything was grey, the floors, the walls. There were no windows. Piper looked around, confused. This was not a past memory. It seemed that the spell had come to a natural end.

Chris was sobbing in the middle of the room. The normally unemotional Chris was rocking, holding his knees to his chest protectively. He looked lost, confused. There were three sets of memories fighting for dominance in his head. It was hard enough for him to deal with two sets of memories, but three? He couldn't deal with this. He started shaking.

"Chris?" Wyatt asked tentatively.

Chris looked at him, tears falling down his cheeks. "G-go away." There was a storm raging in his eyes as the astral versions of Wyatt, Piper and Leo were forced out of his head.

Phoebe ran to her oldest nephew, sister and brother-in-law, giving them all a big hug in her relief. Then she stepped back, looking at her younger nephew, Chris. There was an expression of worry on her face. While Chris was normally able to block her empathy, she could feel mixed emotions. There were too many for her to distinguish, although confusion was the main one. It took her a lot of effort to stop the emotions taking hold of her.

Chris was lying in the centre of the cage, still sleeping as Leo had used the rest of the family supply of sleeping dust on him, which had been quite a lot. She watched as his eyes blinked open. The emotions in those eyes… Phoebe took a step towards him, concern etched on her features. There was the Chris she remembered from the past, detached and focussed, hiding his emotions from the world, then there was the young Chris she knew, looking lost and confused. Just as suddenly the eyes switched to the cold, evil look in them that had prevailed hours before. She was lost in a whirl of emotions.

"Y-you've got to help Chris." She gasped.

Wyatt kicked one of the crystals away from him, stepping out of the protected cage. Piper moved one of the crystals from the cage holding Chris. Wyatt ran into the cage, holding his brother into a very protective hug. His mother and father held back, knowing that in all of the memories Chris had, Wyatt was the one thing that had remained the same, in one form or another.

Phoebe breathed a sigh of relief as the emotions calmed down significantly.

Piper turned to Paige. "We need a potion. That's the only way we can get rid of the rest of Chris' false memories! A spell would be too risky."

Prue stepped forward. "I've already made one, Auntie Piper." Matt made faces behind her back before his father Richard noticed and elbowed him in the ribs.

Piper smiled at her. "Thanks, but can I have a look at the recipe? I don't want to risk giving Chris something that might wipe all his memories!"

Prue handed her the piece of paper, knowing that her Aunt had confidence in her Potion making abilities, knowing her Aunt was checking.

Piper looked at the ingredients along with Richard, who nodded his approval at his niece's prowess. She had added some ingredients, to help Chris sleep and to boost the power yet keep the gentleness of the potion.

Piper handed the potion vial to Wyatt, who took it carefully.

"Chris?" Chris looked up at him, tears shining in his eyes along with confusion.

"Wy? I-I'm so confused. What's h-happening?" He asked.

"Shhh. Just take this… it'll make everything alright." Wyatt put the bottle to Chris' lips, pouring the contents gently down his throat. Piper and Leo smiled at the unflinching trust Chris had in his brother as Chris swallowed.

Wyatt ruffled Chris' hair as Chris slowly fell asleep. His eyes flickered open as he fought against the urge to sleep. "You've got my back and I've got yours." He murmured, before succumbing to sleep.

Phoebe hugged her daughters, smiling and trying to resist the urge to awww at the scene unfolding in front of her. Paige smiled at her oldest sister. Wyatt remained completely focussed on his little brother.

As usual, when there was a 'moment' in the Halliwell manor, it was interrupted. Several demons shimmered in on the previous orders of Chris. The Halliwell twenty-four hour spell had expired, allowing demons back into the house. Wyatt put up his forcefield around Chris and himself, as everyone else made short work of the demons with potions and powers. Some shimmered out, realising that their master was not in commission after all, definitely not worth risking going against the Charmed family for.

When the last demon was turned to ash, everyone focussed their attention on Chris, who was still sleeping in his older brother's arms. His face was more peaceful than it had been for a long time. Wyatt whispered to his Dad that he was going to orb Chris to their bedroom, let him rest in his own bed. Leo nodded and Wyatt and Chris disappeared in a flurry of orbs.

Wyatt used his magic to change Chris into his pyjamas, without disturbing him and tucked the duvet in. Chris' chest rose and fell gently. Piper and Leo walked into the room, settling down to keep watch next to Chris, along with Wyatt.

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Chris was whimpering softly in his sleep, as the potion came to the more tormenting memories, sifting through for the false ones. Unfortunately for Chris, there were plenty of real ones, from his previous timeline. While the potion softly erased the evil memories, it made him face his worse ones in the process. Wyatt squeezed his hand gently, as Piper stroked his hair out of his face. Leo felt his pulse. While it was racing, it was racing from stress, which he could do nothing about, and the efforts of Piper and Wyatt were helping to calm him down.

"Muuum." He moaned softly, turning slightly in his bed and going a shade paler. Piper realised he was being forced to see her die again. She whispered comfortingly in his ear, reassuring him that she was alive. It seemed to help.

They sat like this for several hours, comforting Chris through his nightmares until his breathing levelled out again. Chris smiled gently in his sleep, and snuggled into his brother's arm. "Wy…" He whispered in his slumber, causing his parents to smile at one another. Wyatt had fallen asleep on the bed next to his brother, not that there was much room for him, being a single bed. Leo gently shifted Wyatt and Chris next to each other, realising that Chris was taking comfort from his older brother's presence. Piper and Leo smiled, settling in their chairs in order to keep vigil.

Chris slowly opened his eyes to find Wyatt sleeping soundly next to him, snoring slightly. His mother was sleeping in the chair to his left, while he noticed his father asleep on his right. He smiled, but then winced at the headache he had. He couldn't remember what how he had gotten into his bed. Thinking harder, he noticed that he couldn't remember anything since he had started feeling sleepy when he was eating, after Wyatt had been grounded for using magic to try and get a DVD rather than walking to the shop to get one instead. He desperately tried to remember, but the headache was stopping him from concentrating.

Wyatt stirred, waking up as he could sense his brother's confusion and pain. He nudged his father's hand as he sat up, waking him up as well. "Chris?" He asked worriedly.

"W-wy?" Chris looked confused. But not evil. Leo sighed a sigh of relief.

Wyatt hugged his little brother. "Good to have the real you back!"

Chris frowned, even more confused, but also with the headache. His empathy was showing him the vast amount of relief his brother and father had, but he couldn't remember why. And Chris didn't like feeling like he was left out of the loop. He tried to sit up, but his arms shook with the effort. Why did he feel so weak? His right arm in particular ached as though he had been given several injections. Leo noticed and held his hand over the arm, letting his healing power wash over it, while Wyatt, noting that the lines etched in Chris' forehead were probably caused by a headache, held his hand over his head, soothing the headache away with his healing power. Chris smiled a shaky smile, as it was relief tinged with confusion.

Wyatt looked at his mum who was sleeping soundly in the chair, rather than look at Chris. He was still ashamed at having learned that for all his life, Chris had been dealing with his personal consequences as well as his own. Chris noticed this and his smile faded. "OK. What's wrong?" He demanded, his voice a little croaky.

Leo nodded to Wyatt, who used his power to project what had happened.

Chris gasped. "I was evil? I did all that?!" He leaned back into his pillows, exhausted as he had been through a lot.

Wyatt smiled nervously at him. "You look good in black." He joked.

Chris smiled broadly back. "Did you see Mum's face when she saw you wearing those leather pants?"

"Well it wasn't as daring as hiding a darklighter wound from us! And you do realise that the runes you burned off the floor are supposed to be able to confine even gods and titans?!" Leo retorted.

"About the personal consequences thing…" Chris said softly.

Wyatt winced, looking very guilty. "I-I'm so sorry."

Chris held up his hand. "Don't be. Saving you was worth it. And I would do it all over again."

Wyatt looked at his brother. "Well I'm not going to do any more spells with personal consequences."

Chris snorted in disbelief. Wyatt nudged him gently. "Really. I mean it." He said.

Chris looked him in the eyes. "I know. I felt as your younger brother, the snort of disbelief was a requirement." He teased, his voice trailing off as he fell asleep again.

* * *

Barbas looked into his pool. "It's nearly time…" He announced to himself. "Soon I will bring Chris' worst fears to life… and with his death; the other Halliwells will be ripe for the killing… easy to pick off. Or maybe I can kill a few using Chris' fear against him…" He smiled creepily. He had studied Chris for long enough to make his fears seem more convincing than any other fears he had portrayed to any of his victims. Chris was special, requiring more than the normal reading to trick him into believing that what he feared was coming true… it took more effort to fool the smart twice-blessed one... but at last, he was confident… Barbas laughed, his laughter echoing around his cavern.

A/N: Barbas will attack soon, as in next chapter soon (Just incase you wanted to know!)


	30. Fighting Fears

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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Barbas whispered in Chris' ear as he was sleeping. "They are all gonna die… your Aunts, Uncles, your _cousins,_ Prue, Matt, Sam, aw, and little Melissa…" He taunted, forcing Chris to whimper as the nightmare of his mother dying played over and over in his head. "You never saved your Mum… you only postponed her death… she's gonna hate _you_, giving her false hope…" Barbas smiled as a tear made its way down Chris'cheek. Barbas sensed someone coming- Wyatt.

Barbas blinked out just as Wyatt came in the doorway. Barbas was not completely sure that he was powerful enough to keep invisible from him, despite having fed on all the fear that had been radiating off Chris- fear that had manifested ever since Chris had regained the memories of the other timeline. He had been whispering in Chris' ear for weeks, always waiting until he was asleep to start whispering wickedly in his ear. He was being really cautious this time- he was going to make sure that Chris was so paranoid he would be fooled by any illusion he would play out for him.

Wyatt dropped his bag on his bed and looked worriedly at his little brother. He had fallen asleep _again, _and it was only four in the afternoon. Twice he had fallen asleep in class and it seemed that no matter how much sleep he had, he was always needing more. So far his parents had settled on not using magic to help him sleep in case it backfired. But they didn't realise that Chris had been hiding the full extent of his sleeplessness from them- Wyatt wasn't going to let Chris keep this a secret any longer. He looked at his brother's face, it was drawn and haggard. His forehead was continually creased with worry, awake and asleep. Chris frowned as he slowly woke up. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. Wyatt noticed the large grey circles under his eyes, not for the first time either. Chris looked like he hadn't slept in weeks.

"Chris?" Wyatt queried.

Chris looked like he was mentally wading through a swamp in order to process just that one word question.

"I'm…fine." He mumbled, trying to stop his brother worrying. In truth, even he wasn't sure why he didn't seem to be getting much sleep. He would sleep for hours and wake up feeling he had had no sleep. There was a vague sense of nightmares, but when he woke up he wasn't able to remember any of them. He could see his brother tapping his foot, not buying his 'I'm fine.'

"I'm telling Mum and Dad." Wyatt announced. Chris laid back on the pillows, resigned.

"What? No 'no need to worry the folks' speech? No denial that you're not well?" Wyatt exclaimed.

Chris shrugged slightly. "I have no energy left to argue." His eyes glazed over slightly, clouded with lack of sleep. He blinked slowly.

And that scared Wyatt more than anything else that he had seen. Chris had always remained adamant that he was fine, even the time he had broken his arm at the local playground at the age of four, meaning that Wyatt couldn't heal it for risk of exposure- plus the neighbours had seen, and would have questioned his lack of a cast.

Wyatt ran downstairs to get his parents. Piper and Leo rushed up immediately, knowing that Chris was likely to downplay anything that was wrong with him. When they walked into the room, Chris had already fallen asleep again. It became obvious to them that Chris had been using his glamour abilities or a spell in order to hide the true extent of his insomnia. Even more worryingly, it had faded, showing that Chris no longer had the mental ability to keep it up. He looked pale and thin. Piper stroked her son's hair.

"Why does he always have to hide things like this from us?" Piper whispered exasperatedly.

"Because he's Chris." Leo answered. "He tries to sort things out for himself and he doesn't want us to worry."

"Well I'm worried now. Do you hear that mister?" Piper announced to the sleeping Chris.

Chris stirred. He opened his eyes. "Mum? Dad? What are you doing in here?" He yawned.

Wyatt spoke up. "I said that I was going to get them, that was only two minutes ago."

Chris frowned thoughtfully. It seemed like an age before he replied. "Oh. I remember. It feels like it was a week ago." Piper and Leo looked at each other, concerned. It seemed that his lack of sleep was causing his memory to become fuzzy.

Chris settled back down again, falling asleep instantly, before his head even hit the pillow.

"I don't know what's wrong with him. He sleeps for hours, but when he woke up just now it looked like he hadn't slept for weeks." Wyatt stated.

"We'll keep watch over him. Perhaps that will help us see what is happening?" Leo suggested.

Unfortunately, that was exactly what Barbas had planned for them to do.

Midnight. The witching hour. Also the hour that everyone had fallen asleep. A half full cup of coffee stood on the bedside table, growing cold. Chris had slept peacefully since he had fallen asleep, so the others had loosened their vigil. Wyatt's chest rose and fell softly as he murmured something about doughnuts in his sleep.

Barbas blinked in. Almost immediately, Chris woke with a start. He looked around the room, finding it empty. Barbas smiled, his illusion holding strong. Already he could taste the fear coming from Chris.

"Wy?" Chris called softly. "Mum? Dad?" Barbas kept them from hearing him, for the moment- they would hear Chris when he was ready for them to.

Chris swung out of his bed, his feet making a soft pad pad sound on the floor as he walked out into the hallway. Walking to his parent's room, he saw it was empty. Alarm bells rang in his head.

"MUM? DAD? WYAAAATTTT?!" He yelled.

Wyatt jolted awake. Barbas hid in the shadows, creating the illusion of Chris sleeping in the bed next to him. Wyatt shook his head, confused. He was sure that he had heard Chris call for him.

Chris looked in all of the bedrooms in the manor. His cousins, Aunts and Uncles. None of them. Not one of his family were where they normally were. Swallowing his apprehension, he walked down the stairs cautiously. The kitchen door flew off its hinges with a bang.

"Chris!" Piper's voice yelled from the kitchen.

"MUM!" Chris screamed, racing downstairs to find his whole family battling demons. He skidded in the kitchen, knocking an athame out of the hand of the demon about to stab his Mum. She flicked her hands, but her explosion power had no effect on the demon. Chris stabbed it through the chest, causing it to burst into flames.

"Where's Wyatt?!" Chris yelled, only just realising that his older brother was missing.

Wyatt heard Chris call for him this time. He glanced over at the bed opposite, shocked to find that his brother wasn't there. He had been there a minute ago. He immediately orbed to where he could sense him, in the kitchen.

Chris called for his brother.

Wyatt shimmered in.

Chris was shocked to discover that his brother's hair was longer, and he was dressed completely in black. "Noo." He gasped.

"Hello little brother." Excalibur appeared in his hands in a cloud of black orbs.

"WYATT!" Chris yelled. Piper flicked her hands at Wyatt, trying to freeze him, but it bounced off him.

Several demons shimmered in behind Wyatt. "Kill them all. Except Chris." Wyatt said coldly.

Piper looked at her older son, with tears in her eyes. "Wyatt. Please don't do this."

Wyatt looked at her, smirking. "You are in the way of my gaining power. I only need Chris."

Leo orbed in next to his wife. "Wyatt. A demon got to you. We can turn you back. You just need to fight this."

Wyatt laughed. "Why? When I feel so free?" A darklighter crossbow appeared in his hands. He shot his father before Chris could stop the arrow. He walked over to his father, twisting the arrow in his chest, causing Leo to scream in pain.

Chris started hyperventilating. "Dad…" He gasped.

"I love you son."

Barbas smiled as Chris stood up, throwing his telekinesis at his brother with an agonised yell- who simply laughed and shimmered out.

* * *

Wyatt looked concerned. Chris' attention was focused towards another area of the kitchen. Chris looked at him but seemed to look straight through him. 

"Noo." He gasped. Wyatt took a step towards him.

"Chris…" He held out his hand, but Chris stepped back from him.

"WYATT!" He yelled. But not to him.

"CHRIS!" Wyatt yelled trying to get Chris to snap out of it. He was unprepared for the huge wave of telekinesis that sent him flying through the wall. The wall fell on top of him. He lay unconscious under a pile of rubble.

* * *

Chris was desperately trying to stop the demons from killing his family. 

His powers were not working on the demons. He jumped on the back of one of them, desperately trying to fight him off with his fists. The demon simply laughed as he threw him off his back. Chris landed painfully onto the floor but picked himself up off the floor, throwing himself in the path of a demon's fireball that was heading towards his Mum, who was busy battering another demon around the head with a chopping board. Leo was lying unconscious, and several demons were in the way of anyone being able to heal him. Chris hissed in pain as the fireball burnt his leg.

"Chris!" Piper yelled, running towards him.

"NOOO!" Chris screamed as a demon stabbed her in the chest with his curved athame. Piper looked shocked, and then crumpled to the floor in a heap. The demons shimmered out, satisfied. Chris ran to his father, to try and heal him first so he could help him heal his Mum. He pulled the arrow out with his telekinesis. He held his shaking hands over the wound. He was sobbing, his breath hitching as no healing glow came. Leo faded into dust. "Dad…" Crying uncontrollably, he crawled over to his Mum. Dead. He pulled her hair out of her eyes and with trembling fingers he closed her eyes. She almost looked like she was sleeping.

Frightened, he realised the sound of his crying was the only sound in the manor. He orbed into the lounge where the rest of his family had been fighting. All of them were dead. He had failed to change the future. He had only delayed it.

Chris' legs gave way under him. "Nooo. I can change this. There must be a way."

"There is no way. You have failed. You could go back in time and change it… _Wait_… you already did that. There is no way you can save your family… you're a failure…they are all _dead_…" Barbas whispered gleefully.

Chris glanced at where he had thrown Wyatt into the wall- he saw nothing. Barbas prevented him from seeing his brother under the pile of rubble.

"I-I've failed." Chris whimpered. He orbed out of the manor.

* * *

Leo and Piper woke with a start. Something was wrong. Neither of their sons were in bed. 

They heard Chris crying downstairs. Leo immediately grabbed Piper's hand and orbed her downstairs.

Leo gasped as he saw Wyatt lying under a pile of rubble. The majority of the wall was on top of him. Piper screamed, waking the rest of the family, who immediately found their way downstairs.

Paige was the first to make sense of the situation. She immediately orbed the rubble off Wyatt. Leo held his hands over the gaping wound on Wyatt's head. There was an awful amount of blood pouring from his head and it took both Leo and Paige an agonising amount of time to heal it up. As soon as the wound started closing up, Leo started on Wyatt's broken ribs.

Wyatt's eyes slowly opened. "Ow." He moaned softly.

"What happened?" Phoebe asked.

Wyatt sat up amazingly fast. "Chris!"

Piper gasped, glancing around. They had been so focused on Wyatt… "Where is he?" Leo closed his eyes, trying to sense for him.

"I can't find him!" Leo announced.

Wyatt quickly updated the family on how Chris had thrown him into the wall using his telekinesis. "It was like he didn't really see me… and he seemed really afraid of something…"

"Barbas." The Charmed Ones said in unison. It seemed this demon would appear time and time again- no matter how many times they vanquished him.

"The demon of fear?" Wyatt's eyes went wide. "We've got to find Chris! His worst fear is losing you Mum. And you, Dad, all of you. And me… me turning evil. Barbas must have made Chris see me as being evil. He thinks of me as invincible. Even though it is obvious he is equal to me in the power department."

"He thinks we're dead…" Piper whispered.

Wyatt closed his eyes thoughtfully. "The Bridge! That must be where Chris went- he always goes there to think…"

* * *

Chris sat miserably on the bridge, tears falling onto the cars below. Barbas appeared behind him. The bridge was bathed in cold moonlight. 

"Wyatt is evil… most of your family is dead… you're useless… you can never save them…" He taunted.

Chris shut his eyes, rocking backwards and forwards in his despair.

"You've failed again… and you will again and again and again…" Barbas took a step closer to Chris, grinning in his moment of glory. With any luck, Chris had managed to kill Wyatt by throwing him into the wall. And with the Charmed brothers gone… the rest would be ripe for the picking.

Barbas felt strong. The fear had been emanating off Chris in waves, powerful, tasty waves. He still thought his brother was running around the underworld being evil- making one of his fears still useful. After all, the other fear had been used up.

Barbas allowed himself to take on the shape of evil Wyatt. He shimmered into Chris' view.

Chris opened his eyes. "Wyatt…" He stood up, rather shakily.

"Hello little brother. Join me."

Chris looked at his brother. "How could I? You killed all of them…" Tears trailed down his cheeks.

'Wyatt' shrugged. He took a step towards Chris, hiding an athame behind his back.

"One last chance Chris."

"Never."

'Wyatt' looked at him furiously. "Fine. I don't. Need. You." He said between gritted teeth.

Chris waved his hands, but none of his powers were working. He backed up, until his back was against the cold metal frame of the bridge.

"Your powers will not work against me. You're pathetic." 'Wyatt' taunted. He stepped deliberately slowly towards Chris, and then suddenly stabbed him in the stomach with the athame.

Chris gasped in pain, his eyes wide and legs shaking, he held his stomach where the athame had been plunged in. His feet slipped in the blood dripping from between his fingers. Precariously he teetered on the slippery metal. 'Wyatt' stepped forwards, shoving him off the bridge.

"Goodbye little brother." 'Wyatt' laughed, waving goodbye, leaving Chris plunging frighteningly fast towards the icy water below.

* * *

A/N: Please don't kill me at the evil cliffie! I'm going to update as soon as I can! 


	31. Splash!

Disclaimer- I do not own Charmed, much as I want to. The only thing that is mine is this storyline.

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31

Chris felt nothing but pain as the wind whooshed around him. Desperately he tried to summon the strength to orb, but failed. Instead he used his telekinesis to act as a barrier against hitting the water. If he hit the water from falling that far without any protection there was a chance he could die on impact.

It still hurt like hell when he hit the water. His stomach burned where he had been stabbed. With his family dead who was there left to save him? Not Wyatt. He was the one who had pushed him off the bridge. Maybe he'd regret it and save him?

"Wy…" He murmured before he sank into darkness.

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Barbas in the shape of Wyatt watched as Chris hit the water and chuckled contentedly to himself. He blinked out to the Underworld just as the entire Halliwell family orbed onto the bridge.

"Where's Chris?!" Paige yelled as they orbed onto the bridge.

Piper screamed as she pointed down to where the water had splashed around Chris as he had hit it.

Terrified, Leo tried sensing for Chris. What if the impact of hitting the water had killed him?

With a sigh of relief he sensed his son, though faintly. He thought fast, waving his hand to surround his son in orbs. He nearly closed his eyes to stop himself from seeing what state Chris would arrive in.

The entire family gasped at the state of Chris. But no one looked as shocked as Paige and Leo did. Barbas had stabbed Chris _exactly_ where Gideon had stabbed the older Chris.

Piper squeezed her young son's hand. It was cold and very wet. She couldn't take much more of this. Ever since her little peanut had gained his memories he had been having many near death experiences- way more than the normal amount.

Leo, Paige and Wyatt immediately began healing Chris. Leo was experiencing sheer panic. Last time Chris had been stabbed there he had been unable to heal him. What if Barbas had used the same athame? The wound was stubbornly staying open and they were putting all their effort into it.

Chris slowly opened his eyes. "Dad…" He mumbled.

"Don't give up Chris!" Leo pleaded.

"You either…" He replied.

Chris' head sank to one side as his eyes closed. He slowly exhaled then stopped breathing altogether.

"No! Chris! You can fight this!" Leo pushed even harder with his healing powers along with Wyatt and Paige. They were even using the energy from their family but it did not seem to be working. "CHRIS!" Leo yelled.

Piper was shrieking, trying to shake Chris awake, as if he was just sleeping. Paige was sobbing along with the rest of the family. Wyatt was in a state of denial. He still tried to heal his brother, but his Aunt Paige gently took his hands away from Chris' lifeless body, shaking her head with tears running down her cheeks. Wyatt shook her off, putting his hands out to start trying to heal him again.

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Barbas rubbed his hands together gleefully. Oh they had healed Chris alright. Shame about that, but his idea to make it look like Chris was dead was working brilliantly. Chris in reality was still unconscious, the lack of sleep over the past few weeks meaning he was exhausted and was merely sleeping it off.

Barbas smiled. He was now so powerful his illusion had fooled even the mighty twice blessed Wyatt. "Time for phase two…" he said to himself.

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Leo picked his son up in his arms. He walked slowly towards the rest of the family, tears falling on the limp form of Chris as he hugged him as though he could bring him back to life by doing so. Wyatt was howling on his Aunt Phoebe's shoulder as Paige helped Piper stand. Piper did not respond, she simply stared numbly at the cold metal of the bridge.

The Halliwell family orbed off the San Francisco Bridge back to the manor.

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"What?!" Phoebe gasped.

"I said, there is no way he's dead. _I _would know, trust me dear." Grams folded her arms. "Chris is alive."

Piper put her hand to her mouth. "But where is he?" she clasped Leo's hand in hers.

Grams stepped out of the ring of candles where they had summoned her. She hugged Wyatt, who was caught between relief and extreme worry.

"Can you sense him Wyatt?"

Wyatt closed his eyes and sensed as hard as he possibly could. "No. No I can't."

Grams tapped her foot. "You said that it was Barbas who was behind all this. I bet all of you have one fear in common. And he has used that fear against you to make it seem like Chris died."

Wyatt orbed them both downstairs to the couch where Leo had laid Chris down. It was empty. The rest of the family orbed in.

"Where did he go?" Piper yelled.

"Calm down Piper. I know that you are worried but none of us can help Chris in this state." Grams admonished.

"Underworld." Leo muttered. He spoke up. "Chris must be in the Underworld. Even you can't sense down there without help from Chris, Wyatt if Barbas is blocking you."

Everyone immediately orbed down to the Underworld.

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Chris stirred slowly, surprised to find himself on the couch in the manor. He winced, feeling where the athame had stabbed him. Perhaps Wyatt had decided to heal him after all. He swallowed, the raw grief threatening to overwhelm him again. He focussed on one thought. He had to save Wyatt. He orbed down to the Underworld. Even if every demon had to die, he would turn Wyatt back. It wasn't really Wyatt who had killed his family; it was the demon that turned him.

The first demon went up in flames by his pyrokinesis before he gave it a chance to answer his question.

"Where is Wyatt?" He boomed through the caverns. Demons cowered in their caves from this menacing fourteen year old.

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Barbas cursed. Chris had overcome his fear and now the Halliwell family knew the truth about Chris being alive. He smiled. "No matter. I am more powerful than ever before." He walked out of his lair. The Halliwell family were going to die if it was the last thing he did.

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Wyatt orbed Excalibur to him, looking around the caverns. He found he could sense Chris. Not that he needed to. Judging by the screams of demons, anyone could find him.

Phoebe stepped daintily around a particularly smelly goo and smirked as Paige realised she had orbed right on top of a pile of demon dust.

"Ewww." Paige wrinkled her nose and tried to stamp the dust off her shoes.

Piper raced into the next cavern. Chris had a demon in his telekinetic grip, strangling it slowly. "Where is the demon that turned Wyatt?" He growled.

Piper flicked her hands, blowing the demon up.

Chris turned angrily, fully ready to yell "Hey, I was interrogating that demon!" He gasped, his mouth hanging open.

"M-Mum?" Piper ran to her son hugging him so tight he needed air.

"Peanut, it was Barbas."

"Barbas turned Wyatt?" Chris asked.

"No, Wyatt's not evil, I'm alive, none of us died- it was all an illusion." Piper hurriedly explained.

The look of joy on Chris' face would turn a demon good just by watching. He laughed, smiling as his family raced into the cavern.

"Dad!" He yelled happily, running to him so fast he nearly knocked him over. Leo laughed spinning him in a circle as Phoebe and Paige grinned. Jason and Richard spun their own children around in circles as Wyatt and Chris hugged each other.

Barbas blinked in. "Disgusting…all this hope… this _love._" He spat.

Chris let go of Wyatt slowly, standing defiantly. "You fooled me once. Now you die." He said coldly. The rest of the Halliwells stepped back. This was Chris' fight. Piper raised her hands ready to blast Barbas into eternity if Chris was so much as in a little danger.

Barbas laughed. "Do you have the power to face _me_?"

Chris grasped hold of Excalibur along with Wyatt. "I do with this." He said confidently. Chris' power gleamed down the blade. It glowed brightly. Wyatt nodded, as his power ran through the blade, merging with Chris' power.

They raised the blade, pointing it directly at Barbas, who had stopped smiling, sensing the sheer power that was running through the sword. It shot out of the sword, blasting into Barbas. The power vanquished him immediately, sending his screams echoing around the underworld. It blasted through the cavern walls, vanquishing all the demons within a two mile radius.

"Whoa." Chris uttered, letting go of the sword.

"Yeah." Wyatt smiled, dropping the sword and hugging his brother again. "Barbas made us all think you were dead!"

Piper and Leo enveloped their son in a huge hug, as the rest of the family joined in.

"I think I could sleep for a week!" Chris said honestly. "At least Barbas won't be keeping me up any more."

Grams smiled at him. "I don't think any demons will be bothering you for a while- you blasted quite a few demons there to put any of them off from going anywhere near you!"

"Good." Piper announced.

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A/N: That's not the end of the fic, so don't worry! I have a few more ideas up my sleeves (metaphorically speaking)


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